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Latta Votes for Legislation Combating Trafficking and Protecting Vulnerable Children

Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green) joined his colleagues in passing several pieces of legislation to combat trafficking and protect vulnerable children. The bills empower law enforcement to track and detain traffickers, strengthen victims rights, and improve reporting requirements for cases of abuse.
 
“Human trafficking is a heinous crime that continues to occur in communities across Ohio and the nation,” said Latta. “We need to give law enforcement the tools they need to bring traffickers to justice while providing protections to keep children free from exploitation. These crimes harm the most vulnerable of our society, and these bipartisan bills will go a long way in addressing the issue.”
 
The bills approved by the House include:
 
H.R. 695 – Child Protection Improvements Act – Ensures youth-serving organizations have access to national background checks on prospective staff and volunteers through the FBI’s database.
 
H.R. 2473 – Put Trafficking Victims First Act – Ensures that trafficking victims are perceived and treated as victims of a crime, with the same rights and protections. The bill calls for a report on Safe Harbor implementations as well as training for prosecutors on processing cases with a victim-centered approach.

H.R. 1761 – Protecting Against Child Exploitation Act – Closes a loophole for child pornography crimes. Under current law, a defendant that created child pornography may walk free if they are found to lack the specific intent prior to abusing a child.
 
H.R. 1188 – Adam Walsh Reauthorization Act – Reauthorizes the two primary programs of the Adam Walsh Act – the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act and Sex Offender Management Assistance Program – for five years and makes targeted changes to improve the programs.
 
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