releases: https://schmidt.house.gov/media/press-releases/schmidt-backed-human-trafficking-bill-signed-law
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| url | title | date | year | month | party | chamber | state | member_name | bioguide_id | domain | scraper | source | date_source | text | has_text | collected_at | updated_at |
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| https://schmidt.house.gov/media/press-releases/schmidt-backed-human-trafficking-bill-signed-law | Schmidt-backed Human Trafficking Bill Signed into Law | 2026-02-02 | 2026 | 2026-02 | Republican | House | KS | Derek Schmidt | S001228 | schmidt.house.gov | schmidt | https://schmidt.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON, D.C. – (February 2, 2026) – Congressman Derek Schmidt (KS-2) today applauded the signing of the Trafficking Survivors Relief Act (H.R. 4323) into law, marking a significant victory for survivors of human trafficking and an important step toward restoring justice for those who were coerced into committing non-violent crimes because of their exploitation. Schmidt is a cosponsor of the legislation, continuing the strong anti-human-trafficking framework he advanced as Kansas attorney general. “This bill ensures meaningful relief for survivors who were forced into committing crimes by their traffickers,” said Schmidt. “I am proud to be in the fight not only to hold accountable those who exploit others, but also to provide survivors a real opportunity to return to a sense of normalcy in their lives. I am grateful to President Trump for signing this critical legislation into law.” The Trafficking Survivors Relief Act establishes an affirmative defense allowing survivors of human trafficking to defend against charges that arose directly from their victimization. The law also provides critical post-conviction relief for survivors by authorizing vacatur of certain convictions, expungement of arrest records, and sentencing mitigation when offenses were committed as a direct result of trafficking. Under the bill, a court may grant a motion to vacate a conviction or expunge an arrest if the defendant demonstrates by a preponderance of the evidence that the offense was committed as a direct result of having been a victim of trafficking. The defendant must also establish, by clear and convincing evidence, that they were a victim of human trafficking at the time the offense was committed. The legislation limits eligibility for relief to non-violent offenses directly tied to trafficking victimization and explicitly excludes offenses involving a child as a victim. Schmidt’s support of this legislation reflects his continued commitment to strengthening protections for trafficking survivors and ensuring that victims are treated with fairness, dignity, and compassion under the law. | 1 | 2026-05-22T06:27:39Z | 2026-05-22T06:29:18Z |