A bill that would allow law enforcement and prosecutors to crackdown on websites that promote sex trafficking overwhelmingly passed the Senate on Wednesday.
The legislation, co-sponsored by Florida U.S. Senator Bill Nelson, now heads to the president for his signature.
Prior to the vote Wednesday vote, Nelson took to the Senate floor and asked for his colleagues' support.
"An untold number of women and children in the U.S. are being sold into sexual slavery via the internet," Nelson said. "It's just unacceptable and it's wrong. … We can't sit by idly any longer."
The legislation creates new accountability for websites hosting ads posted by sex traffickers, allows state attorneys general to prosecute websites that knowingly facilitate trafficking, and enhances criminal penalties for traffickers.
According to the human trafficking hotline, Florida ranked third in the country for the highest number of sex trafficking cases reported in 2016 and 2017.