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House passes trafficking‑law overhaul aimed at narrowing offenses and protecting good‑faith employers
Summary
First substitute Senate Bill 30, sponsored by Rep. Wilcox, passed the Utah House 42–7. Sponsors said the bill reorganizes and narrows trafficking and exploitation offenses to focus on actual traffickers and to reduce unintended liability for employers; debate centered on mens rea (intentional vs. reckless) and penalties.
SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah House passed first substitute Senate Bill 30 on Wednesday, approving a package intended to simplify and tighten state human‑trafficking statutes while clarifying who should be liable for criminal conduct.
Sponsor Representative Wilcox told colleagues the current statutory scheme had become a ‘‘patchwork’’ of overlapping offenses and varying mens rea standards that made prosecution harder and sometimes ensnared employers acting in good faith. "What we're really going for is to fix that issue as well as the broadness of the law for good faith employers…
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