Oklahoma Senate approves measure addressing demand side of human trafficking

Oklahoma City – State Senator Darrell Weaver has won full Senate approval of a measure which, for the first time in Oklahoma, would address the demand side of human trafficking.

Weaver, R-Moore, is the Senate principal author of House Bill 2054, which would strengthen the penalty for “Johns” by changing the crime of paying a person for sex from a misdemeanor to a felony.

Weaver said the bill was requested from the Oklahoma City Police Department's vice unit.

“Prostitution is far from a victimless crime – many commercial sex workers are actually human trafficking victims,” Weaver said.

“A stronger penalty for customers will be a greater deterrent, giving us another tool to reduce human trafficking in our state.”

In the upper chamber, two Democrats joined every Republican but one in support of the measure.

In an earlier House vote, the measure sailed through on a 76-15 bipartisan vote. Opposition came from Democrats, and a total of ten members of the lower chamber did not vote.

In discussions and communications, some members raise liberty-sensitive concerns about the legislation, and fear it could feed a fresh spurt of incarceration due to the higher penalties. Others are passionate about exploitation of women drawn into paid sex.

Documenting and addressing the many issues raised in human trafficking has been made a priority for leaders of the Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women.

Rep. Eric Roberts, R-Oklahoma City, is the House principal author of the legislation.

“The goal of the bill is to curb the demand driving sex trafficking by increasing the penalty for Johns from a misdemeanor to a felony.” Roberts said.

“Many of those engaging in prostitution are victims of human trafficking. They made this change in Texas and it was very successful.”

H.B. 2054 now returns to the House for final approval and will then be sent to Gov. Kevin Stitt for consideration.

Note: Pat McGuigan of The City Sentinel prepared this story for posting, working from a Senate staff press release. He incorporated the information in the italicized paragraph above, and a sketch of the mixed voting patterns in the Legislature.