Missouri lawmakers signal "bipartisan" support for bills to curb child sexual abuse

[Jim Burton]

Missouri lawmakers are considering a package of bills they hope will curb child sex trafficking, train first responders to recognize signs of sex trafficking and shift punishment away from survivors.

The bills would also establish the crime of “grooming a minor,” defined in the legislation as a pattern of behavior by an adult intended to prime a child to be sexually exploited. That behavior would not have to include a sexual act and could consist entirely of verbal or digital communication.

State Rep. Holly Jones, a Republican from Eureka and chair of the House Children and Families Committee, told The Independent the bills resulted from collaboration between the various sponsors that date back several years.

“Child abuse, familial abuse, trafficking, all of that is bipartisan,” Jones said.