HB42 Summary

• Amends Alabama Code Section 13A-6-152 to establish enhanced penalties for human trafficking in the first degree, particularly involving minor victims.

• Requires mandatory life imprisonment sentence when defendant is 19 years or older and there is a minor trafficking victim; eliminates reasonable mistake of age as a defense.

• Adds new subsection (3) making it illegal to knowingly give or attempt to give monetary consideration or anything of value to engage in sexual conduct with a minor or someone believed to be a minor.

• Creates Class A felony charge for anyone obstructing, interfering with, or preventing enforcement of human trafficking laws.

• Allows corporations and legal entities to be prosecuted for human trafficking when agents act within scope of employment on behalf of the entity and the crime was authorized, commanded, or constituted a pattern of known conduct.