H.R. 1865 would broaden the coverage of current laws against sex trafficking. As a result, the government might be able to pursue cases that it otherwise would not be able to prosecute. CBO expects that the bill would apply to a relatively small number of offenders, however, so any increase in costs for law enforcement, court proceedings, or prison operations would not be significant. Any such spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
Because those prosecuted and convicted under H.R. 1865 could be subject to criminal fines, the federal government might collect additional fines under the bill. Criminal fines are recorded as revenues, deposited in the Crime Victims Fund, and later spent without further appropriation action. CBO expects that any additional revenues and associated direct spending would not be significant because the bill would probably affect only a small number of cases.
Because enacting H.R. 1865 would affect direct spending and revenues, pay-as-you-go procedures apply. However, CBO estimates that any such effects would be insignificant in any year.
CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 1865 would not increase net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2028.
H.R. 1865 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
On January 10, 2018, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for S. 1693, the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act of 2017, as ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on November 8, 2017. CBO’s estimates of the budgetary effects of the two bills are identical.
