HONOLULU— Hawaii has become the last state in the nation to explicitly ban sex trafficking. Gov. David Ige signed the bill into law Tuesday. It makes sex trafficking a violent crime and class A felony, expands the statewide witness protection
HONOLULU— Hawaii has become the last state in the nation to explicitly ban sex trafficking.
Gov. David Ige signed the bill into law Tuesday. It makes sex trafficking a violent crime and class A felony, expands the statewide witness protection program to include sex trafficking and provides victims access to criminal injury compensation.
“It was a long time coming,” said Prosecuting Attorney Justin Kollar. “(Our office) supported efforts to enact a sex trafficking ban for several years now and I’m really glad it got done this year.”
The Office of the Prosecuting Attorney submitted testimony on behalf of both bills signed into law Tuesday.
The Kauai Police Department is current with its sex assault kit testing with the help of federal funds received under the Violence Against Women Act in 2012, said county spokeswoman Sarah Blane.
