Gov. Chris Sununu, who earlier this year signed legislation that expands protections for juvenile victims of sex trafficking, is supportive of a bill that enhances penalties for people who exploit trafficked children.
Sununu said the House bill increases the maximum sentence from seven years to 15 years for anyone convicted of paying for sex with a minor or paying to watch a sexually explicit "performance" involving a minor.
In a letter Monday to the chairman of the House Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety, which is considering the bill, Sununu said New Hampshire was one of the first states to criminalize human trafficking. He said as a result, service providers across the state have been able to assist survivors of sex and labor trafficking to rebuild their lives.
