HOUSE UNANIMOUSLY VOTES TO UPDATE CHILD SEXUAL EXPLOITATION STATUES

DENVER, CO– The House today passed Representative Dylan Roberts’ bipartisan bill to ensure Colorado’s prosecutors are better prepared to go after criminals who sexually exploit children. The bill passed unanimously on third reading.

“As technology has advanced, so have the perverse tactics criminals use to sexually exploit children,” said Rep. Dylan Roberts, D-Avon. “Our statutes have not kept up with the times on this front and as a prosecutor myself, I know how difficult it can be to hold heinous criminals accountable when our legal tools lag behind. I’m proud of the unanimous bipartisan support we received to protect our children today.”

HB21-1069 takes several steps to address child sexual exploitation in Colorado. The bill makes sexual exploitation of a child an extraordinary risk crime, increasing the maximum potential sentence in the presumptive sentencing range in certain circumstances. It also creates a new surcharge for child sexual exploitation offenders, and directs the majority of the funds recouped from these charges toward the Sexual Exploitation of Children Fund, which supports the effective investigation and prosecution of computer-facilitated sexual exploitation of children.

Finally, the bill updates statutory definitions to ensure that certain actions, including those used by criminals to sexually exploit children using technology, fit under the definition of sexual exploitation of a child.