HB5556 Summary

• Expands trafficking in persons offense to include maintaining persons for prostitution or commercial sex acts, with enhanced penalties for cases involving more than 5 victims (reduced from 10).

• Renames "promoting prostitution" to "promoting or facilitating prostitution" and adds two new offenses targeting those who own, manage, or operate interactive computer services with intent to facilitate prostitution of 5+ persons or who act in reckless disregard of sex trafficking.

• Defines "interactive computer service" under federal law (47 U.S.C. 230(f)) to clarify scope of online platform liability for facilitating prostitution.

• Updates liquor control licensing requirements to reference the renamed "promoting or facilitating prostitution" offense as grounds for license denial.

• Makes conforming changes throughout the Criminal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, and Trafficking Victims Protection Act to reflect the renamed prostitution offenses.