Survivors of sex trafficking are too often arrested, prosecuted, and convicted for offenses they were forced to commit by their traffickers. These convictions can follow survivors for life — blocking access to housing, employment, education, and healing — long after the exploitation has ended.

HB 2721 reforms Arizona law to ensure that victims of sex trafficking are treated as victims, not criminals.

The bill prohibits the prosecution of individuals for trafficking-related offenses when their actions were the direct result of being trafficked. It also creates a clear legal pathway for survivors to seek relief from past convictions by allowing courts to vacate or modify convictions when survivors can demonstrate they were victims of sex trafficking and acted under coercion or fear of harm.

Crucially, these protections apply regardless of a survivor’s age at the time of conviction, acknowledging that trafficking-related coercion impacts both children and adults and that justice should not be limited by age.

By removing punitive barriers and recognizing the realities of trafficking, this bill promotes survivor safety, accountability for traffickers, and a justice system rooted in fairness and rehabilitation. Arizona has the opportunity to lead by ensuring its laws no longer perpetuate harm against those who have already endured exploitation.