Sen. Paul Anderson’s bipartisan sex trafficking and exploitation prevention bill receives first hearing

Bipartisan legislation aimed at preventing sexual exploitation and trafficking received its first hearing in the Minnesota Senate Committee on E-12 Policy. Chief authored by Senator Paul Anderson, the bill would modify existing public-school curriculum standards to include sex trafficking and sexual exploitation prevention.

“No child should ever be exploited nor trafficked, however the unfortunate reality is this happens, even our communities,” said Senator Anderson. “This bill is a step in the right direction in educating our children about the potential dangers that exist.”

Senator Anderson was inspired to author the bill after being approached by Jessica Melnik, a student at Hopkins High School and Founder of Girls United MN, a group that empowers young women and develops leadership skills in junior high and high school girls. Melnik and her classmates were motivated to pursue this issue in depth after learning that a student from their high school had been trafficked a couple years prior to their time at the high school.

“Jessica and her classmates are role models for their peers and a shining example of what citizen advocacy looks like,” added Senator Anderson. “Their leadership on this issue has led to a commonsense solution to combat trafficking and sexual exploitation of our youth.”

Specifically, the legislation allows school districts to include sexual exploitation prevention instruction in their health curriculum. The districts can consult with other federal, state, or local agencies and community-based organizations to identify research-based tools, curricula, and programs to prevent child sexual abuse and sexual exploitation.

The bill also received a hearing in the Minnesota House Education Innovation Policy Committee. Representative Randy Jessup [R-Shoreview] is the chief author of the bill in the House.

Sen. Paul Anderson (R-Plymouth) is serving his first term in the Minnesota State Senate representing Senate District 44, which includes the communities of Plymouth, Minnetonka and Woodland. Sen. Anderson is the Vice Chair of Jobs and Economic Growth Finance and Policy Committee and serves on the E-12 Policy, E-12 Finance, Higher Education Finance and Policy, and Taxes Committees.