Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Arkansas General Assembly, fetched 2026-07-23. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
1 State of Arkansas As Engrossed: S3/10/25
2 95th General Assembly
A Bill
3 Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1609
4
5 By: Representatives Lundstrum, K. Moore, Henley, Vaught, Duke, Barker, Bentley, A. Brown, K. Brown,
6 R. Burkes, Cavenaugh, Crawford, Dalby, J. Mayberry, McAlindon
7 By: Senators B. Davis, Irvin, J. English
8
9 For An Act To Be Entitled
10 AN ACT TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING HUMAN TRAFFICKING;
11 TO CREATE AN ENHANCED PENALTY FOR RECRUITING
12 TRAFFICKED PERSONS FROM CERTAIN PLACES; TO DECLARE AN
13 EMERGENCY; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
14
15
16 Subtitle
17 TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING HUMAN
18 TRAFFICKING; TO CREATE AN ENHANCED
19 PENALTY FOR RECRUITING TRAFFICKED
20 PERSONS FROM CERTAIN PLACES; AND TO
21 DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.
22
23 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
24
25 SECTION 1. Arkansas Code Title 5, Chapter 18, Subchapter 1, is amended
26 to add an additional section to read as follows:
27 5-18-108. Enhanced liability -- Certain conditions.
28 A person convicted of an offense under this chapter may be subject to
29 an enhanced sentence of an additional term of imprisonment not to exceed five
30 (5) years if the person recruited, enticed, or obtained a trafficked person
31 from:
32 (1) A shelter or facility operating as a residential treatment
33 center that serves runaway youth, foster children, the homeless, or other
34 persons at risk of being subjected to human trafficking, domestic violence,
35 or sexual assault;
36 (2) A correctional facility while the trafficked person was
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As Engrossed: S3/10/25 HB1609
1 confined in the correctional facility;
2 (3) An adoptive, foster, or provisional foster home as defined
3 by � 9-28-402;
4 (4) A childcare institution as defined by � 9-28-402; or
5 (5) A detention facility, forestry camp, training school, or
6 other facility operating primarily for the detention of children who are
7 determined by a court to be delinquent.
8
9 SECTION 2. EMERGENCY CLAUSE. It is found and determined by the
10 General Assembly of the State of Arkansas that human trafficking continues to
11 be a heightened concern for the state; that it is necessary to create
12 additional mechanisms to further deter human trafficking in the state; and
13 that this act is immediately necessary to punish criminals who commit human
14 trafficking against the state's most vulnerable populations. Therefore, an
15 emergency is declared to exist, and this act being immediately necessary for
16 the preservation of the public peace, health, and safety shall become
17 effective on:
18 (1) The date of its approval by the Governor;
19 (2) If the bill is neither approved nor vetoed by the Governor,
20 the expiration of the period of time during which the Governor may veto the
21 bill; or
22 (3) If the bill is vetoed by the Governor and the veto is
23 overridden, the date the last house overrides the veto.
24
25 /s/Lundstrum
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2 03-10-2025 10:28:46 TNL215Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.