The Senate Corrections and Criminal Law Committee heard HB 1028, sponsored by Sen. Head, on human trafficking and common nuisances. The bill creates new offenses for visiting (Class A misdemeanor) or maintaining (Level 6 felony) a common nuisance where certain human trafficking crimes are committed.
The Indiana State Police and Office of the Attorney General testified in support of the bill, explaining that the new offenses would make it easier to prosecute human traffickers, whose victims are often reluctant to implicate them. The Indiana Public Defender Council testified in opposition, on grounds that the offense levels are disproportionate and are substantially covered by the existing offense of assisting a criminal.
The bill was amended by consent to consolidate existing common-nuisance offenses (except those involving illegal gambling) into a single new section, together with the new human trafficking-related provisions. The bill passed as amended 8-0.
Read the bill at http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2016/bills/house/1028