COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - A proposal aimed at combating what supporters describe as modern day slavery is poised to clear its toughest legislative hurdle Wednesday, on the floor of the Ohio Senate.
The legislation would make human trafficking a stand-alone felony in a state that's been criticized for trailing such regulations nationally. Ohio is among a handful of states without a stand-alone human trafficking law.
A report from a state commission found about 1,000 American-born children are forced into the sex trade in Ohio every year and about 800 immigrants are sexually exploited and pushed into sweatshop-type jobs.
The bill's sponsor, Sen. Teresa Fedor, says the state needs the law because federal authorities can't handle all the Ohio cases.
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