Criminal Justice (Human Trafficking)

This bill expands the investigative authority of agents appointed by Montana's Attorney General by adding human trafficking, prostitution, and internet crimes against children to the list of offenses they can investigate alongside local law enforcement. The legislation clarifies that these agents already have concurrent jurisdiction with local agencies for certain crimes like drug offenses and organized criminal activity, but now explicitly includes the three new categories. It also provides a detailed definition of "internet crimes against children" to include various forms of sexual offenses committed using electronic devices or communications. The changes directly affect the Department of Justice's agents and local law enforcement agencies that may request their assistance in these specific investigations.

This bill revises Montana's endangering the welfare of children law to clarify specific prohibited actions and update penalties. It directly affects parents, guardians, and anyone supervising children under 18 by explicitly criminalizing exposing children to marijuana or dangerous drugs and assisting minors in entering adult-use dispensaries or locations involved in human trafficking or drug production. The legislation also establishes clearer guidelines for what constitutes acceptable independent activities for children, such as walking to school or short car rides, while maintaining stricter penalties for cases involving methamphetamine manufacturing or serious bodily injury to a child.

This bill requires school bus drivers in Montana to complete a free, transportation industry-specific training course on recognizing and reporting signs of human trafficking as part of their driver qualifications. The Office of Public Instruction will provide the training materials at no cost to driver candidates and is directed to recommend that this training be included in ongoing inservice training for bus drivers. The law also encourages the Office of Public Instruction to educate the broader community about child sex trafficking prevention and to coordinate with law enforcement and other agencies on awareness efforts. These changes take effect on July 1, 2025.

HB 104 expands the investigative authority of agents appointed by Montana's Attorney General. It adds human trafficking, prostitution, and internet crimes against children to the list of offenses these agents can investigate concurrently with local law enforcement. The bill specifically defines "internet crimes against children" to include offenses like sexual assault, child sex trafficking, and other technology-facilitated crimes against minors. This change directly affects Attorney General-appointed agents, clarifying their jurisdiction without creating new penalties or funding. The bill amends Section 44-2-115 of Montana Code Annotated.