[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz today signed a bill into law strengthening penalties for labor trafficking. The bill creates a crime for labor trafficking that results in death and creates enhanced penalties for labor trafficking that continues for an extended period or causes great bodily harm.

“Labor trafficking is an unacceptable practice that often targets vulnerable and marginalized communities. It will not be tolerated here in Minnesota,” said Governor Walz. “By strengthening penalties for labor trafficking, we are standing with all of Minnesota’s workers and the victims of this devastating crime. We will not stop fighting to ensure that all workers are treated with dignity, fairness, and respect in Minnesota.”

Chapter 27, House File 42, passed unanimously by the state legislature, creates a crime for labor trafficking that results in death. It also creates enhanced penalties if a person is labor trafficked over an extended period or if a labor trafficking victim suffers great bodily harm as a result of the trafficking. Additionally, the bill makes technical changes to the definition related to labor trafficking crimes, while also harmonizing the definitions in the sex trafficking statutes with the definitions in the labor trafficking statutes.