Governor Kay Ivey on Wednesday signed into law House Bill 42 – The Sound of Freedom Act – elevating Alabama’s anti human trafficking law to become the toughest in America. The new law raises the penalty for first-degree human trafficking to a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment when the victim was a minor. During her state of the state address, the governor called on the Legislature to send this bill to her desk.

“Human trafficking of minors is one of the most heinous and heart-wrenching crimes in America, and because the most defenseless among us are the victims, those found guilty should face the harshest penalties,” said Governor Ivey.