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S 1989

Relates to state aid for emergency medical services

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Jake Ashby and 7 co-sponsors

Expands human trafficking penalties to anyone who financially benefits from a trafficking scheme and to trafficking of minors for labor/services, with higher fines and restitution.

REFERRED TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT
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Bill Summary · S 1989

Bill Summary — S.1989 (as reported, 1R / committee amendments)

Note: The supplied document set mixes text from multiple jurisdictions. This summary focuses on the substantive legislation contained in the reprint (SJU 3/24/25 1R), which amends New Jersey’s human trafficking statute (P.L.2005, c.77; C.2C:13-8).

Purpose / Intent

To expand the classes of actors subject to the statute’s enhanced criminal penalties for human trafficking by: (1) extending enhanced penalties to any participant in a trafficking scheme who benefits financially (even if not an organizer, supervisor, financier, or manager); and (2) applying enhanced penalties to persons who traffic minors (under age 18) to provide coerced labor or services (in addition to existing coverage for sex trafficking of minors). The goal is to strengthen criminal accountability and increase survivor support resources.

Key Provisions

  • Amends C.2C:13-8 (human trafficking) to:
    • Clarify that a person commits human trafficking when they knowingly hold, recruit, entice, harbor, transport, provide or obtain another to engage in sexual activity or to provide labor/services by means including threats, fraud, coercion, document confiscation, abuse of legal process, or by facilitating access to controlled substances.
    • Expand paragraph (2) to cover persons who “receive anything of value … or knowingly participate in any other way and benefits financially from” a scheme or course of conduct that violates the statute.
    • Clarify paragraph (3) to include knowingly obtaining or involving any child under 18 to engage in sexual activity or to provide labor or services (whether or not the actor reasonably believed the child was 18 or older).
  • Classification and defenses:
    • Human trafficking remains a first-degree crime.
    • Provides an affirmative defense where the defendant was, at the time of the alleged offense, a victim of human trafficking.
  • Enhanced sentencing and fines (applies to offenses under paragraph (2) or (3)):
    • Mandatory term of imprisonment of 20 years with no parole eligibility; or a specific term between 20 years and life, with parole eligibility only after 20 years.
    • Mandatory fine of not less than $25,000. Fines are collected and deposited into the “Human Trafficking Survivor’s Assistance Fund” (C.52:17B-238).
  • Restitution:
    • Courts must order restitution to victims. Restitution awarded is the greater of:
    • The gross income/value to the defendant of the victim’s labor or services; or
    • The value of the victim’s labor/services as determined by applicable state prevailing wage/state wage laws, the Seasonal Farm Labor Act, child labor laws, or the federal Fair Labor Standards Act.
  • Effective date: Immediate upon enactment.

Who would be affected

  • Defendants: Individuals who participate in trafficking schemes and derive financial benefit (not limited to high-level organizers) and anyone who traffics minors for labor/services would face elevated penalties and mandatory fines.
  • Victims/survivors: Expanded restitution mechanisms and enhanced funding for the Survivor’s Assistance Fund (via the $25,000 minimum fines) aim to increase available supports.
  • Criminal justice system: Prosecutors, courts, and corrections will administer the enhanced sentencing structures; potential increase in prosecutorial charges and longer confinement terms.
  • State funds: Increased deposits into the Human Trafficking Survivor’s Assistance Fund from statutory fines.

Procedural status / timeline (from available documents)

  • Reported favorably by the Senate Judiciary Committee with amendments (dated March 24, 2025).
  • The reprint reflects committee amendments that clarified language expanding coverage to persons who “benefit financially” and to traffickers of minors for labor/services.
  • The bill text states immediate effect if enacted.

Note: Provided legislative-action logs in the materials contain entries from multiple unrelated bills and jurisdictions; for authoritative status and next steps consult the official legislative docket for S.1989 in the relevant state legislature.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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