HB2721 • 2026

sex trafficking victims; prosecution prohibited

HB2721 - sex trafficking victims; prosecution prohibited

Crime

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Selina Bliss, Analise Ortiz
Last action: 2026-01-21
Official status: House second read
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation included details about changing convictions that were not fully supported by the official source material. The bill text specifies conditions under which a conviction can be vacated or modified.

Sex Trafficking Victims; No Prosecution Allowed

This law stops people who were victims of sex trafficking from being prosecuted for certain crimes if they can prove that their actions were a direct result of being trafficked.

What This Bill Does

Adds a new rule to the Arizona Revised Statutes saying that someone who was forced into sex trafficking cannot be punished for some crimes if they show proof that the crime happened because of their trafficking situation.
Allows people convicted of trafficking-related offenses to ask the court to change or remove their conviction and sentence if they were victims of sex trafficking at the time of the offense, provided they meet certain conditions.
Requires a special vote from three-fourths of the members in each house of the Arizona Legislature for this law to take effect.

Who It Names or Affects

People who are victims of sex trafficking
Courts and judges handling cases involving sex trafficking victims

Terms To Know

Preponderance of evidence: The amount of proof needed to show that something is more likely true than not.
Clear and convincing evidence: A higher level of proof, showing that it is highly probable or reasonably certain that something is true.

Limits and Unknowns

This law only applies to people who can prove they were victims of sex trafficking.
The new rule about changing convictions needs a special vote from three-fourths of the Legislature before it becomes active.

Bill History

2026-01-21 House
House second read
2026-01-20 House
House Rules: None
2026-01-20 House
House Judiciary: None
2026-01-20 House
House first read

Official Summary Text

HB2721 - sex trafficking victims; prosecution prohibited

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB2721 - 572R - I Ver

REFERENCE TITLE:
sex trafficking victims; prosecution prohibited

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HB 2721

Introduced by

Representative
Bliss: Senator Ortiz

AN
ACT

amending title 13, chapter 5, Arizona
REvised Statutes, by adding section 13-505; amending title 13, chapter 9,
Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 13-909.01; relating to sex
trafficking victims.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Title
13, chapter 5, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 13-505,
to read:

START_STATUTE
13-505.

Sex trafficking victims; prosecution prohibited

A person may not be prosecuted for a sex
trafficking offense if the person demonstrates by a preponderance of the
evidence that the person committed the acts constituting the offense as a
direct result of being a victim of sex trafficking under section 13-1307
or child sex trafficking under section 13-3212.
END_STATUTE

Sec. 2. Subject to the requirements of article
IV, part I, section 1, Constitution of Arizona, title 13, chapter 9, Arizona
Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 13-909.01, to read:

START_STATUTE
13-909.01.

Vacating the conviction of persons convicted of
trafficking-related offenses; applicability; definition

A. A person who is convicted of a
trafficking-related offense may petition the court to vacate or modify the
judgment of conviction or reduce or MODIFY the sentence if the court finds by
clear and convincing evidence that the person both:

1. Was a victim of sex trafficking
under section 13-1307 or CHILD sex trafficking under section 13-3212
at the time the person committed the acts constituting the offense.

2. committed the offense under force,
threats, coercion or a reasonable fear of harm.

B. This section applies regardless of
the person's age at the time of conviction.

C. For the purposes of this section,
"trafficking-related offense" means recruiting, harboring,
transporting, providing, obtaining or grooming another person for commercial
sexual exploitation.
END_STATUTE

Sec. 3.
Requirements for
enactment; three-fourths vote

Pursuant to article IV, part 1,
section 1, Constitution of Arizona, section 13-909.01, Arizona Revised
Statutes, as added by this act, is effective only on the affirmative vote of at
least three-fourths of the members of each house of the legislature.