Oklahoma House passes human trafficking measure

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – The Oklahoma House has approved legislation that toughens penalties for human trafficking in the state.

The House approved the measure 85-0 on Thursday and sent it to the Senate for consideration.

The measure by Republican Rep. Sally Kern of Oklahoma City adds human trafficking to the list of crimes in which offenders must serve 85 percent of their sentence before becoming eligible for parole.

The measure also increases the potential penalty for human trafficking to life in prison and a fine of up to $100,000 if the victim is over 18 years old. Currently, the crime carries a minimum sentence of five years if the victim is over 18 and a minimum of 10 years if the victim is under 18 years of age.