HB 1487 (Truly Agreed) Revises the crime of kidnapping by including kidnapping of a child under fourteen years of age
Current Bill Summary
- Prepared by Senate Research -

CCS/HS/HB 1487 - This act makes the crime of kidnapping a child a Class A felony. A person, who is not a relative within the third degree, commits the crime of kidnapping by unlawfully removing or confining a child age 13 or younger without the consent of the child's parents or guardians. In determining whether a child was taken or confined unlawfully, it is an affirmative defense if the person reasonably believed that his or her action was necessary to protect the child from danger. (Section 565.110 and 565.115)

This provision contains an emergency clause.

This act creates the crimes of abusing an individual through forced labor, trafficking for the purposes of slavery, involuntary servitude, peonage, or forced labor, trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation, sexual trafficking of a child, and contributing to human trafficking through the misuse of documentation. A sentencing court shall order the offender to pay restitution to the victims of these offenses. This act increases the penalty for patronizing prostitution if the person being patronized is a minor. The offense is a Class A misdemeanor if the person being patronized is between the ages of 17-15 and a Class D felony if the person is fourteen years of age or younger. Currently, patronizing prostitution is a Class B misdemeanor. (Sections 566.200, 566.203, 566.206, 566.209, 566.212, 566.215, 566.218, 566.223, 567.030)

This act extends the statute of limitations for prosecutions for unlawful sexual offenses involving a person 18 or under. The prosecution must be commenced within 20 years after the victim reaches 18 years of age, unless the prosecution is for forcible rape or the attempt thereof, forcible sodomy or the attempt thereof, or kidnapping, in which cases such prosecutions may be commenced at any time. Currently, such action must be taken within 10 years. (Section 556.037)
SUSAN HENDERSON

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