HELENA, Mont. – Montana’s Attorney General is working to strengthen laws around human trafficking this legislative session.
AG Austin Knudsen introduced house bill 112, which is a rewrite and revision of current human trafficking statutes in the state.
They update the penalties for human traffickers and those soliciting prostitution.
“Right now under Montana law, you can solicit a human trafficking victim up to four times and it’s a misdemeanor every time. Minimum jail time, minimum fine. This bill would change that. This bill would make a first offense felony and a second offense a felony with an even higher jail time and higher penalties. So we really are trying to send a message here that we’re taking human trafficking seriously in Montana,” said Knudsen.
Since 2015, Knudsen says human trafficking investigations have increased over 870%.