HR 75
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Date of Hearing: January 12, 2026
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON RULES
Blanca Pacheco, Chair
HR 75 (Pellerin) – As Introduced January 5, 2026
SUBJECT: National Human Trafficking Awareness Month.
SUMMARY: Recognizes the month of January 2026 as National Human Trafficking
Awareness Month. Specifically, this resolution makes the following legislative findings:
1) For more than two centuries, the United States has worked to protect human rights,
promoting a just and free society and advancing the dignity of all human beings. The
government continues to demonstrate serious and sustained efforts to address human
trafficking.
2) According to the United States Department of State's annual Trafficking in Persons Report,
human trafficking cases have been reported in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and
United States territories.
3) Since 2018, the United States Department of Labor reports an increase of 69% of children
being illegally employed and exploited, and in the last fiscal year, the department found that
835 companies it investigated employed more than 3,800 children in violation of federal
labor laws.
4) The California Child Welfare Council found that anywhere from 50% to 80% of victims of
commercial sexual exploitation, including child sex trafficking, are or were formerly
involved with the child welfare system.
5) According to the United States Department of State's annual Trafficking in Persons Report,
racial and ethnic minority groups, the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, and indigenous
populations are extremely vulnerable to exploitation due to social, legal, and cultural
marginalization. Studies show that Native American women and girls are victims of human
trafficking at a much higher rate compared to the overall population.
6) In 2015, the United States Advisory Council on Human Trafficking was established by
Congress and sits as the world's preeminent human trafficking advisory body. It is led by
survivors of human trafficking and advises federal policy makers on antitrafficking policies.
7) According to the United States Department of State's 2022 Trafficking in Persons Report,
meaningful inclusion of survivors as antitrafficking experts must be further integrated across
global antitrafficking efforts and accepted as a norm.
8) Partnership between governments, multilateral organizations, and survivors of human
trafficking not only improves antitrafficking efforts, but also dismantles the risk of
misconceptions, shame, retraumatization, and reexploitation of survivors within their
communities, empowers survivors, promotes equity within organizations, and reduces
vulnerability to revictimization.
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9) The State of California is dedicated to protecting victims of human trafficking and ensuring
they are not themselves criminalized. And, the State of California commits to continuing to
collaborate with skilled professionals at the local, state, and national levels conducting
investigations, collaborations, and trainings, organizing public outreach, promoting
awareness, and directly assisting victims of human trafficking.
FISCAL EFFECT: This resolution is keyed non-fiscal by Legislative Counsel.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:
Support
None on file
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by: Michael Erke / RLS. / (916) 319-2800