Senator Farley Announces Final Passage of Legislation Protecting Victims of Human Trafficking

State Senator Hugh T. Farley (R, C, I – Schenectady) is pleased to report final legislative passage of important legislation in protecting the victims of human trafficking. The Senate passed the bill in 2013 and 2014, as well as this year, and it finally passed the Assembly this week. The legislation toughens penalties against those who buy and sell young women, men, and children and reduces the stigma defendants may face when they are victims of the massive $32 billion sex trafficking industry. Key provisions of the measure include increasing the accountability of traffickers and buyers by raising the penalty for sex trafficking to a class B violent felony; creating the felony sex offense of “aggravated patronizing a minor”; and aligning the penalties for patronizing a minor with those of statutory rape. It also strengthens the investigative tools used to build a case against traffickers. Sex trafficking will be an affirmative defense to prostitution and the term “prostitute” will be eliminated from the Penal Law, as that term stigmatizes defendants who are in fact victims of sex trafficking. Nowhere else in the state’s Penal Law are individuals identified by the crime they allegedly committed.