When I was first elected to the State Assembly, one of my first responsibilities was to meet with law enforcement officials in the area. One of their top issues, which they raised then and …
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When I was first elected to the State Assembly, one of my first responsibilities was to meet with law enforcement officials in the area. One of their top issues, which they raised then and continue to raise today, is doing everything we can to combat human trafficking in our state. That discussion, which has happened through the state helped lead to the creation of the Assembly bipartisan Special Taskforce on Human Trafficking.
The mission of this taskforce is “to create a society where the safety and well-being of every person are paramount and where exploitation has no place. The task force will explore innovative solutions to combat human trafficking through prevention, supporting and empowering survivors, and prosecuting traffickers in order to set the captives free.”
As Chair of the Assembly Workforce Development and Economic Opportunities Committee, I had the opportunity to preside over the public hearing and vote for one of the bills that came from this Taskforce. Assembly Bill 973 was introduced by Representatives Gundrum and Stubbs which would increase awareness for businesses and employees in industries that interact with the public and vulnerable individuals. Business owners and employees would be required to receive training on how to recognize the signs of human trafficking and how they could report any suspected activity.
This education can help identify people who are being trafficked early on. With more than 70% of those trafficked being minors, often while in junior high or high school, early intervention and detection can help prevent this heinous crime from occurring. The committee also heard about how difficult rehabilitation can be for some victims and how long the recovery process can take. That is why I believe this training will be an important first step toward resolving the crisis.
In addition to this bill, which is now on its way to the full Assembly for a vote, several other bills were introduced. They include:
If you haven't already, I encourage everyone to take some time to learn more about this issue and how to spot the signs of human trafficking. The National Human Trafficking Hotline website, www.humantraffickinghotline.org, contains a variety of resources, including documents about common misconceptions about human trafficking and firsthand accounts of how this crime affects people. Most importantly, it provides victims with resources and a free 24-hour confidential hotline in over 200 languages at 1-888-373-7888.
I'm looking forward to seeing AB 973 and the other bills introduced to address this issue come before the full Assembly so that we can get them to the governor's desk for signature and begin the work ahead.
