S.F. No. 4236 Summary

• Amends definitions of labor trafficking to include "use of blackmail" as a method of coercion, with "blackmail" defined as threatening to expose facts that cause shame or subject a person to hatred, contempt, or ridicule.

• Establishes enhanced penalties for labor trafficking crimes, increasing maximum imprisonment from 20 to 25 years when the labor trafficking victim dies and the death arises from the trafficking or related labor and services.

• Creates new criminal penalty provision allowing imprisonment for not more than 20 years and fines up to $40,000 when labor trafficking involves victims under age 18, occurs over an extended period of time, or causes great bodily harm to the victim.

• Clarifies definitions of "debt bondage" and "forced labor or services" to better describe coercive tactics including threats of bodily harm, physical restraint, psychological or economic harm, abuse of legal process, and document confiscation.

• Repeals the existing definition of "blackmail" in section 609.281, subdivision 2, and makes conforming changes to the human trafficking assessment statute; all provisions effective August 1, 2022.