TO PROVIDE A SAFETY VALVE AND APPEAL RIGHT FOR A MINOR DEFENDANT WHO IS ALSO A VICTIM OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING; AND TO AMEND THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING ACT OF 2013.

This bill, now Act 1003, enhances protections for minor defendants who are victims of human trafficking. It expands the affirmative defense, allowing minors to argue they committed a nonviolent criminal offense as a direct result of being trafficked. The act also requires courts to consider a juvenile's status as a human trafficking victim when deciding whether to transfer a case to adult court or apply extended juvenile jurisdiction. Additionally, it broadens the definition of human trafficking to include recruiting minors into criminal organizations.