BiMadison – Today, the full Assembly passed Representative Joel Kleefisch’s bills cracking down on sex trafficking in our state. Assembly 400 is a three strikes and you’re out bill, making it a felony if you are caught patronizing a prostitute (many who are being human trafficked) for the third time. Assembly Bill 486 makes it a felony for any person patronizing a child (currently it is only a misdemeanor.)
“These are huge bills,” said Representative Kleefisch. “Assembly Bill 400 was requested by law enforcement who found that they were arresting the same men over and over again in prostitution stings. These men move their location and have been able to skirt the law. Assembly Bill 400 goes after the demand of sex trafficking in order to save lives.”
“Assembly Bill 486 will monumentally help reduce the demand of children being trafficked in our state,” said Representative Kleefisch. “This bill was written so that johns can no longer use the defense in court that they did not know the victim they patronized was a minor. Many of these men are stating that the minor girl looked 18….even though many are trying to patronize children, and they are getting by in court. This bill wipes away that argument and says that, whether you know the minor you patronized was a minor or not, you will get slammed with a felony.”
These bills now head to the Governor’s desk, where they will be signed in the near future. The Department of Justice is fully in support of both bills.
