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Arkansas legislation
Human Trafficking
Statewide Anti-Trafficking Laws
HB1499 – Children’s Advocacy Centers of Arkansas
Synopsis: An act to amend the law concerning the Arkansas child abuse/ rape/ domestic violence commission; concerning certain annual reports submitted by the administrative office of the courts; and for other purposes.
HB1554 – Safe Haven Provisions
Synopsis: An act to establish safe harbor provisions for victims of human trafficking; to establish an affirmative defense; and for other purposes.
HB1740 – Sex Trafficking of Minors
Synopsis: An act to combat sex trafficking of minors; to protect the children of Arkansas from sexual predators and pedophiles; and for other purposes.
HB1741 – Conditions of Release on Bail
Synopsis: An act concerning conditions of release on bail for persons arrested for human trafficking-related offenses; and for other purposes.
HB1032 – Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Prevention Act
Synopsis: An act concerning obscene materials; to be known as the “Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Prevention Act”; to provide for internet blocking capability; and for other purposes.
Code of Arkansas
Title 5 – Criminal Offenses
Subtitle 2 – Offenses Against the Person
Chapter 18 – Human Trafficking Act
Section 5-18-102 – Definitions
Synopsis: Provides definitions for abuse or threatened abuse of law or legal process, commercial sexual activity, debt bondage, extortion, financial harm, grooming, involuntary servitude, labor, menace, minor, organization, peonage, serious harm, service, sex act, sexually explicit, and victim of human trafficking.
Section 5-18-103 – Trafficking of persons
Synopsis: A person commits the offense of trafficking of persons if he or she knowingly recruits or maintains a person knowing that the person will be subjected to involuntary servitude. Mistake of age or lack of knowledge of the victim’s age is not a defense to this crime.
Section 5-18-104 – Patronizing a victim of human trafficking
Synopsis: A person commits the offense of patronizing a victim of human trafficking if he or she knowingly engages in commercial sexual activity with another person knowing that the other person is a victim of human trafficking.
Section 5-18-105 – Enhanced liability of an organization
Synopsis: An organization convicted of an offense under this chapter is subject to any combination of: a suspension or revocation of a license or permit, a court order to dissolve or reorganize, and other relief as equitable. This is in addition to any other statutorily authorized sentence or fine.
Section 5-18-106 – Grooming a minor for future sex trafficking
Synopsis: A person commits grooming a minor for future sex trafficking if the person knowingly grooms a minor with a purpose to make it more likely that the minor can be enticed or induced into a future sex trafficking act with a person.
Section 5-18-107 – Traveling for the purpose of an unlawful sex act with a minor
Synopsis: A person commits traveling for the purpose of an unlawful sex act with a minor if the person is 18 years of age or older and knowingly travels for the purpose of engaging in an unlawful sex act with a minor or a person he or she believes is a minor.