Metro East Sun

Legislation designed to aid child victims of human trafficking in their recovery process has been unanimously passed by the Senate on Thursday. The bill, House Bill 5465, was carried by State Senator Erica Harriss and State Representative Jeff Keicher. It had previously been passed unanimously in the House and will now proceed to the Governor's desk for further consideration.

House Bill 5465 expands upon a law enacted last year. It aims to simplify the process for child victims of trafficking to have their juvenile records expunged or sealed, particularly those records pertaining to criminal acts they were coerced into committing while being abused.

Senator Harriss, who shepherded the legislation through the Senate, emphasized the responsibility of lawmakers towards children. "As a governing body, we have a duty to protect our children and pass legislation to help keep them safe," she said. "We must create pathways for victim survivors of human trafficking as they seek to recover from trauma endured to pursue the most normal life possible."

Representative Keicher has personal reasons for championing support for abuse victims since joining the General Assembly. He has experienced first-hand the tragic consequences of inadequate resources for victim recovery due to a family member's experience with childhood abuse.

"Victims of human trafficking and sexual exploitation, especially children, represent our most vulnerable, and we need to do everything we can to help them through their recovery process," Keicher stated. "I believe one of the first steps in that process is ensuring their past doesn’t follow them around, and that’s exactly what HB 5465 helps us do."

With unanimous approval from both chambers, Harriss and Keicher are hopeful about HB 5465 being signed into law by the Governor. They also highlighted the importance of raising awareness about human trafficking and urged members of media and public alike to use National Human Trafficking Hotline (888-373-7888) for reporting any suspected instances in their communities.

Senator Harriss represents the 56th District, encompassing parts of Madison and St. Clair counties. For more information or to contact her office, visit www.senatorericaharriss.com.

Representative Keicher serves the 70th District, which includes portions of DeKalb, Kane, and McHenry Counties. More information about HB 5465 or Representative Keicher can be found at RepKeicher.com.