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Measure to increase penalties for child human trafficking will be on Colorado ballot

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Lindsey Toomer
(Colorado Newsline)

A measure that would require life in prison without parole for people convicted of human trafficking of a minor will be on Colorado ballots in November.

Protect Kids Colorado, a coalition led by prominent anti-LGBTQ activist Erin Lee, is backing Ballot Initiative 108, which the Colorado secretary of state’s office confirmed Thursday received enough valid signatures to appear on the ballot.

The group submitted nearly 170,000 signatures, according to the secretary of state’s office. Ballot initiatives require at least 124,238 valid signatures from registered voters to be placed on the ballot.

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“Thousands of volunteers stepped forward across our state including parents, grandparents, faith leaders, students, and concerned citizens because they believe children deserve stronger protections,” Lee said in a statement. “We are deeply grateful to every volunteer who gave their time to gather signatures and make this possible. Because of them, the voters of Colorado will now have the opportunity to take action to protect children.”

The National Survivor Network, an association of human trafficking survivors that includes members across the U.S. and internationally, opposes the measure.

“Survivors of trafficking deserve evidence‑based, human‑rights driven policies, not the misuse of child protection language for political agendas,” Rebekah Layton, survivor leadership program manager with the National Survivor Network, said in a statement. “Protecting children and supporting survivors requires collaboration, radical empathy, and a commitment to dismantling the power imbalances that harm our diverse communities.”

Human trafficking of a child is a Class 2 felony in Colorado. The ballot measure would make it a Class 1 felony.

Protect Kids Colorado is also backing ballot initiatives that would restrict rights for transgender children in the state. The initiatives would prevent transgender children from participating in school sports and receiving gender-affirming surgeries. The secretary of state is currently reviewing signatures submitted for those measures.