The bill focuses on enhancing the legal framework surrounding crimes against public morals, particularly commercial sexual exploitation and human trafficking. It mandates that offenders complete an educational or treatment program approved by the attorney general by July 1, 2026, and introduces stricter penalties for buying sexual relations, now classified as a severity level 9 felony. The legislation removes existing provisions related to city ordinances prohibiting the purchase of sexual relations and eliminates the practice of counting prior convictions for enhancing penalties. Additionally, it amends several statutes related to municipal court procedures and human trafficking definitions, emphasizing the importance of education and rehabilitation for offenders.

Key changes include the establishment of rules and regulations for educational programs by the attorney general and the specification that individuals may only enter into a diversion agreement for relevant violations once in their lifetime. The bill also aligns minimum penalties for local ordinances with state law and introduces new provisions for educational programs based on the offense date. By repealing several existing statutes, the bill aims to streamline the legal process and ensure that fines collected are directed to the human trafficking victim assistance fund, reflecting a shift towards increased accountability and structured rehabilitation for offenders.

Statutes affected:
As introduced: 12-4106, 12-4120, 8-1, 12-4416, 21-5426, 21-6421, 21-6422, 22-2909