Note: HB 1092 was postponed indefinitely in the House State, Civic, Military, and Veteran Affairs committee on February 15, 2024. The following is the CCC’s testimony in support of the bill.
The Colorado Catholic Conference supports HB 1092, Minimum Sentence Crimes Against Prostituted Children, a straightforward bill that would mandate minimum sentences for those who are convicted of offenses related to child prostitution. Under current law, an individual who commits a crime against a prostituted child, which includes soliciting for child prostitution, pimping of a child, and keeping a place of prostitution, would be probation eligible with no mandatory minimum sentence for their crime. This critical legislation aims to change that and to protect the over 300,000 children who are at risk for prostitution.[1]
HB 1092 protects children by ensuring that those convicted of crimes against prostituted children receive a minimum sentence of four years for a class 3 felony. Such crimes constitute a gravely evil act, and it is imperative that the state works to protect children, who are among the most vulnerable of our society. One way to do so is to ensure that those who target prostituted children receive a sentence that corresponds to the gravity of their action.
HB 1092 puts acts against prostituted children in the same category as similar sexual crimes, establishing a minimum sentence that acknowledges the severity of the action. This is important because research indicates that states with minimum sentencing have a higher deterrent rate for buyers than states with no mandatory minimum. Mandatory minimums act as a deterrent against crimes against prostituted children and guarantee that those convicted of the crime are held accountable by the criminal justice system.
A week ago, on the 10th International Day of Prayer and Awareness against Human Trafficking, Pope Francis said “it is never too late to take action” against the global scourge of Human Trafficking. Today, committee members have the opportunity to take action and protect children against this scourge by passing HB 1092.
The Colorado Catholic Conference urges a ‘yes’ vote on this important bill.
[1] Finkelhor D., Vaquerano J., Stranski, M. (2017) Sex Trafficking of Minors: How Many Juveniles Are Being Prostituted in the US? Crimes Against Children Research Center.