Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz has introduced legislation on the trafficking of persons across state lines. Many state laws are not written in the best way to address the serious concern of trafficking of persons. There is a nation-wide effort of states to codify their laws to make prosecution of this horrible crime more likely.

In New York State the existing laws on trafficking-like crimes are codified in disparate parts of the criminal code. These crimes for instance, such as kidnapping and prostitution and other coercive tactics that traffickers use to obtain and maintain the labor and services of their victims, are found in different and seemingly-unrelated parts of the state code. This makes it difficult for prosecutors to properly charge criminals.

The legislation will unify the definitions and concepts of anti-trafficking laws; it bundles these appropriate statutes into a trafficking chapter. As a result, this bill will make it more likely that such crimes are recognized and charged. With a properly organized criminal code, proper sentencing for specific crimes can be appropriately penalized.

Assemblyman Dinowitz stated, "The trafficking of persons is a sick crime and should be prosecuted in the harshest way. Technology and the ever growing lucrative market of kidnapping make it urgent upon lawmakers to make the law clear to ensure the prosecution of these crimes. I am therefore pleased to introduce this legislation in the State Assembly."