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Human trafficking legislation priority for IN General Assembly

With the Super Bowl less than two months away, a bill to close gaps in Indiana’s human trafficking statute is on a fast track.

Attorneys general across the country have focused their attention on human trafficking in the last several months.  And Governor Mitch Daniels says the presence of the Super Bowl shines a spotlight on Indiana.

“The single worst location and occurrence for this exploitation is the Super Bowl.”

The bill aims to close three loopholes in current law.  Currently state statute only prohibits forced marriage and prostitution, but the new measure would bar arrangement of any forced sex act.

State law also does not specifically prohibit arranging prostitution by a minor if the minor consents, and only parents and guardians are barred from arranging prostitution by their own children.  The bill would expand current statute to prohibit anyone from arranging prostitution by a minor.

State  Senator Randy Head (R-Logansport) is the primary sponsor of the bill.

“It’s important that we get this bill through both chambers and onto the governor’s desk before all the tourists for the Super Bowl get here.”

A Senate committee will hear the bill on the first day of session in January in order to help expedite the process.  The Super Bowl is February 5th in Indianapolis.

Brandon Smith is excited to be working for public radio in Indiana. He has previously worked in public radio as a reporter and anchor in mid-Missouri for KBIA Radio out of Columbia. Prior to that, he worked for WSPY Radio in Plano, Illinois as a show host, reporter, producer and anchor. His first job in radio was in another state capitol, in Jefferson City, Missouri, as a reporter for three radio stations around Missouri. Brandon graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Bachelor of Journalism in 2010, with minors in political science and history. He was born and raised in Chicago.