CASPER, Wyo. — Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon completed his first signing of bills which have passed the Wyoming Legislature this year on Thursday, March 5.
Among the 13 pieces of legislation which Gordon signed a bill into law which creates new penalties for repeat human trafficking convictions in Wyoming.
House District 44 Representative Sara Burlingame said on first reading of the bill in the House that it “does something simple.” She explained that it will add penalties for adults convicted on human trafficking charges after having been previously convicted on similar charges.
The bill will impose a minimum 25-year prison sentence on adults who have multiple felony convictions of human trafficking.
The minimum 25-year prison sentence is already imposed when trafficking of minors leads to a conviction.
The new repeat offender rules will apply to anyone convicted of human trafficking after the age of 18.
Under Wyoming law “a person is guilty of human trafficking in the first degree when the person intentionally or knowingly recruits, transports, transfers, harbors, receives, provides, obtains, isolates, maintains or entices an individual” for the following purposes:
- Forced labor or servitude
- Sexual servitude
- Sexual servitude of a minor
Human trafficking is considered a second degree offense when “the person recklessly recruits, transports, transfers, harbors, receives, provides, obtains, isolates, maintains or entices an individual” for the above-named purposes.
First degree human trafficking can come with the following punishments for first time offenses:
- imprisonment for a minimum of 5 years and a maximum of 50 years
- a minimum of 25 years in cases involving minors
- fines up to $10,000
Second degree human trafficking can come with the following penalties:
- imprisonment for a minimum of 2 years and a maximum of 20 years
- fines up to $10,000
Both first and second degree human trafficking are considered felonies.
Further details of the legislation is available online.
Other legislation which Gordon signed into law on Thursday included the following:
Bill No. Enrolled Act # Bill Title HB0010 HEA0001 Human trafficking-penalty for subsequent conviction. HB0009 HEA0002 Abstracts of court records. HB0011 HEA0003 Qualified residential treatment programs. HB0007 HEA0004 Commercial learner’s permits. HB0039 HEA0005 Remote education within a school district. HB0160 HEA0006 Background checks-state treasurer’s office. HB0006 HEA0009 Commercial operators-registration and authority to operate. HB0036 HEA0010 Pesticide registration fee. HB0120 HEA0011 CHIP-state administration. HB0136 HEA0012 Unclaimed property funds-investments. SF0003 SEA0001 Military department authority to accept donations. SF0011 SEA0002 Consumer protection act amendments. SF0004 SEA0003 Wildlife conservation account.
Concerned about this or other legislation? An online hotline system allows Wyomingites to have messages delivered to legislators on issues they are concerned with.
This article originally appeared on Oil City News. Used with permission.
