State Lawmakers Aim for Crackdown on Human Trafficking in AR
By:
Updated: September 24, 2012
State lawmakers Monday afternoon voted to adopt eight interim studies, one of which aims to come up with laws cracking down on human trafficking.
Human rights activist Louise Allison says Arkansas laws don't do enough to stop what amounts to modern human slavery.
"I would love to see some tighter laws," Allison said.
Interstate 40 serves as human trafficking corridor and the state in general is a "safe haven" for these types of criminals, Allison said.
Two months ago federal agents broke up an out-of-state crime ring that was operating in Little Rock and Hot Springs.
The Senate and House Judiciary Committee along with the Subcommittee on Charitable, Penal and Correctional Institutions met in Malvern at the state prison to adopt that study and seven others.
Among the other studies they approved: Making it an offense to send a sexual text message to a minor; simplifying the laws governing expunging criminal records; determining what should be done about private companies that provide incomplete or inaccurate background checks on prospective employees; regulating fee awards for legal services in workers' compensation cases; reforming alimony; clarifying laws prohibiting financing of bail bonds; and establishing cost control measures when it comes to hospitals billing county's for treating jail inmates.
Human rights activist Louise Allison says Arkansas laws don't do enough to stop what amounts to modern human slavery.
"I would love to see some tighter laws," Allison said.
Interstate 40 serves as human trafficking corridor and the state in general is a "safe haven" for these types of criminals, Allison said.
Two months ago federal agents broke up an out-of-state crime ring that was operating in Little Rock and Hot Springs.
The Senate and House Judiciary Committee along with the Subcommittee on Charitable, Penal and Correctional Institutions met in Malvern at the state prison to adopt that study and seven others.
Among the other studies they approved: Making it an offense to send a sexual text message to a minor; simplifying the laws governing expunging criminal records; determining what should be done about private companies that provide incomplete or inaccurate background checks on prospective employees; regulating fee awards for legal services in workers' compensation cases; reforming alimony; clarifying laws prohibiting financing of bail bonds; and establishing cost control measures when it comes to hospitals billing county's for treating jail inmates.
