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Senate amends and passes human-trafficking bill to align penalties with companion law
Summary
House Bill 339 was amended on the floor to add coordinating language so its penalties align with Senate Bill 81; sponsors said aggravated offenses remain first-degree felonies and the amendment passed before final passage (26–0).
SALT LAKE CITY — House Bill 339, which contains human-trafficking and related criminal provisions, was amended on the Senate floor to harmonize penalty language with Senate Bill 81 and to avoid conflicting sentencing rules.
Senator Hickman presented a coordinating amendment (Amendment No. 6) intended to ensure the two bills operate consistently on sentencing and coordinating clauses. The amendment preserves first-degree felony treatment for aggravated offenses (such as when a death or other listed aggravating circumstance occurs), while clarifying which statute operates when overlapping provisions might apply.
Senator Romero noted the Senate earlier had passed SB81 and stressed he had been concerned that a floor amendment earlier in HB339's floor history might reduce penalties below SB81; he said the coordinating language now preserves the higher-penalty structure for egregious conduct. Sponsor Senator Bramble described the bill simply: "If you are engaged in human trafficking or human smuggling, you're busted."
The amendment was adopted and the bill passed final Senate action on a roll-call vote, 26 yes, 0 no, with 3 absent. The bill will be sent back to the House for further action.
