Honorable John Whitmire, Chair, Senate Committee on Criminal Justice
FROM:
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB1011 by Parker (Relating to the punishment for the offense of trafficking of persons.), As Introduced
The bill would increase the penalty for the offense of trafficking of persons from a second degree felony to a first degree felony if the actor recruited, enticed, or obtained the trafficked person from a correctional facility while the actor was confined in the facility or intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly impeded the normal breathing or circulation of the blood of the trafficked person by applying pressure to the person's throat or neck or by blocking the person's nose or mouth.
Expanding the conduct constituting and modifying the penalty for an existing offense may result in additional demands upon state and local correctional resources due to a possible increase in the number of individuals placed under supervision in the community or sentenced to a term of confinement.
In fiscal year 2022, there were 56 individuals arrested, 1 individual placed on adult community supervision, 4 individuals admitted into an adult state correctional institution, 1 individual placed on juvenile probation supervision, and no individuals admitted to a juvenile state correctional facility for second degree felony offense of trafficking of persons. It is unknown how many of these offenses would qualify for a penalty enhancement under the bill's provisions.
It is assumed that any impact on state correctional populations or on the demand for state correctional resources would not be significant.