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Minutes for HB2274 - Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice
Short Title
Increasing the criminal penalty for buying sexual relations and removing provisions related to how prior convictions are counted.
Minutes Content for Wed, Feb 24, 2021
Chair Jennings opened the hearing on HB2274.
Natalie Scott, Assistant Revisor, gave an overview of HB2274 and the affected statute. (Attachment 1) Questions from the Committee were addressed.
Scott Schultz, Executive Director, Kansas Sentencing Commission, submitted a HB2274 Prison Bed Impact Assessment for Committee review. (Attachment 2)
Michael Kagay testified in support of HB2274 stating past legislation has targeted human traffickers but not the offense. The current misdemeanor penalty for a buyer of sexual relations is not an effective deterrent to what research has shown to be 25% of the offending population yet account for 75% of the offenses. Increasing the penalty to a felony would impact the demand and provide additional leverage to investigators and prosecutors of the traffickers. (Attachment 3) Questions by the Committee were addressed.
Representative Aaron Coleman testified in opposition of HB2274 stating if the goal is to protect sex workers then decriminalizing sex work will stop driving the sex work industry into the black market. (Attachment 4) Questions by the Committee were addressed.
There was no neutral testimony.
Chairperson Jennings called for final questions from the Committee.
The hearing on HB2274 was closed.
