Bill to allow stiffer penalties for human trafficking advances

National groups that monitor human trafficking consider Arkansas one of the four worst states in the country for laws punishing the practice.

That is part of the reason legislators in both the House and Senate, Republican and Democrat, are pushing bills to toughen penalties for those who bring people to Arkansas, forcing them into labor or prostitution.

Experts say the Interstate-30 and Interstate-40 corridor makes Arkansas an attractive target for human traffickers.

The house voted 91-0 on Friday to strengthen the penalties for traffickers.

David Meeks says, "It will help protect the victims and it will also help the attorney general set up a task force to go after this problem that we are seeing more and more in the state of Arkansas."

Meeks adds many women and girls are afraid to speak out because they don't want to be charged with prostitution.

Another bill is expected to protect those victims from prosecution so they can escape the cycle of human trafficking.