as introduced - 90th Legislature (2017 - 2018) Posted on 04/10/2018 08:34am
A bill for an act
relating to public safety; enhancing the penalty for patrons of sex trafficking
victims; amending Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 609.324, by adding a
subdivision.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 609.324, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:
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(a) Whoever violates the provisions
of subdivision 2 or 3 with an individual who is a sex trafficking victim is guilty of a felony.
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(b) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision 4, a person who is convicted of violating
this subdivision must, at a minimum, be sentenced as follows:
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(1) to pay a fine of at least $3,000; and
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(2) to serve 50 hours of community work service in addition to any period of incarceration
in a local jail or workhouse imposed as an intermediate sanction.
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(c) The court may waive the mandatory community work service under paragraph (b),
clause (2), if it makes specific, written findings that the community work service is not
feasible or appropriate under the circumstances of the case.
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(d) In a prosecution for a violation of this subdivision, certified copies of court records
establishing that a person was convicted of sex trafficking in violation of section 609.322,
subdivision 1a, in which an individual with whom the defendant allegedly violated
subdivision 2 or 3 was identified as a sex trafficking victim at the time of the alleged violation
are admissible as substantive evidence where necessary to prove a violation of paragraph
(a).
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This section is effective August 1, 2018, and applies to violations
committed on or after that date.
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