This bill aims to strengthen Alaska's legal framework regarding human trafficking and wage theft by introducing new definitions and classifications for these offenses. It establishes wage theft as the intentional failure to pay employees or independent contractors their due wages and reclassifies human trafficking offenses into first, second, and third degrees, with first-degree human trafficking designated as an unclassified felony and second-degree as a class A felony. Additionally, the bill introduces organized theft as a class A felony and includes provisions for the forfeiture of property used in violations of the new human trafficking laws, directing funds from such forfeitures to victim assistance programs.

The legislation also mandates that courts order restitution for victims of specific theft-related offenses, ensuring they are fully compensated for unpaid wages. It adds "human trafficking in the first degree" to the list of serious offenses with a minimum prison sentence of five years and requires employers found to owe unpaid wages to pay double the amount owed along with any legal costs incurred by the employee. The bill repeals certain provisions related to liquidated damages and attorney fees in wage-related cases, streamlining the compensation process for employees. These provisions will take effect on July 1, 2025, applying to offenses committed and sentences imposed thereafter.

Statutes affected:
HB0097A, AM HB 97, introduced 02/12/2025: 11.46.100, 11.46.160, 11.46.180, 11.46.190, 11.46.200, 11.46.210, 11.46.215, 11.46.120, 11.46.130, 11.46.140, 11.46.220, 11.46.150, 11.46.260, 11.46.270, 11.46.280, 11.46.285, 11.46.360, 11.46.365, 11.46.482, 11.46.484, 11.46.530, 11.46.620, 11.46.980, 11.46.990, 12.55.155, 43.72.010, 43.72.030, 43.72.080, 43.72.040, 43.72.050, 43.72.020, 43.72.060, 43.72.070, U.S.C, 43.72.090, 43.72.100, 43.72.110, 43.72.900
HB0097B, AM CSHB 97(JUD), introduced 05/02/2025: 11.41.360, 11.41.365, 11.41.367, 11.41.366, 11.41.369, 11.41.530, 11.41.410, 11.41.427, 11.46.100, 11.46.201, 11.46.160, 11.46.180, 11.46.190, 11.46.200, 11.46.210, 11.46.120, 11.46.130, 11.46.140, 11.46.220, 47.12.990, 11.46.150, 11.46.205, 11.46.207, 11.46.980, 11.46.990, 11.81.250, 11.66.110, 11.81.900, 12.10.010, 11.41.120, 11.41.330, 11.41.425, 11.41.450, 11.41.458, 12.37.010, 11.41.100, 11.41.110, 11.41.300, 11.66.120, 12.55.035, 12.55.045, 11.46.203, 12.55.125, 11.41.150, 11.41.200, 11.41.470, 12.55.155, 23.05.180, 23.10.110, 23.10.060, 23.10.065