BILL NUMBER: S2399
SPONSOR: PERSAUD
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to establishing
a sex trafficking awareness and prevention program
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This bill would require the Commissioner of the Department of Motor
Vehicles, in conjunction with New York State's Interagency Task Force on
Human Trafficking, and the Commissioners of the Department of Transpor-
tation and Division of Criminal Justice Services, respectively, to
develop and implement a sex trafficking awareness and prevention program
to provide education and awareness to all CDL bearing drivers.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 establishes requirements of the awareness and prevention
program and authorizes additional coordination in (1) collecting state-
wide data; (2) identifying state, federal and local programs for victims
and survivors; (3) consultation with stakeholders in developing addi-
tional programmatic recommendations; (4) measure and evaluate the
state's progress in prevention and serving justice; and (5) evaluate the
effectiveness of the program established by this bill. Also provided is
a requirement for annual reporting from NYS DMV as well as authority for
DMV to obtain information and data from any New York State government
entity.
Section 2 provides for an effective date after 90 days with the excep-
tion of subdivision (c) of section 1 will take effect after 180 days.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Despite a concerted multi-disciplinary effort to combat human traffick-
ing across the United States, New York State remains among the top five
states by cases reported. While a number of collaborative efforts have
occurred between transportation agencies and New York State's Interagen-
cy Taskforce on Human Trafficking, no formal relationships exist. Under
this legislation, the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles will develop a
sex trafficking awareness and prevention program in conjunction with the
Inter-agency Task Force on Human Trafficking and the Department of
Transportation. Not only will this legislation result in increased
awareness among New York's CDL holders, it will also encourage more
robust communication and collaboration among agencies that can signif-
icantly advance efforts to combat human trafficking. Such collaboration
is a key recommendation in a recent US DOT publication "Combating Human
Trafficking" appearing in the Winter 2021 issue of Public Roads
FHWA-HRT-21-002).
This bill recognizes the significant efforts to combat trafficking on
part of leaders in the private freight industry including, but not
limited to: Truckers Against Trafficking, Transportation Leaders Against
Human Trafficking and Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking. For
instance, Truckers Against Trafficking has provided training and
outreach to over 1,745,803 members of the industry (Truckers Against
Trafficking 2023 Impact Report). New York State's vast multi-modal
transportation sector plays a key role in detecting and combatting traf-
ficking, and this legislation will ensure better coordination at the
agency level. New York State's transportation sector reflects its lead-
ing role as an international transshipment and intermodal hub, not to
mention a large consumer market. The majority of trade between the
United States and Canada passes between New York's borders with the
Provinces of Ontario and Quebec, connected by 15 border crossings and
myriad seaports. The Port of New York receives international cargo from
nearly every continent via air and water for distribution across North
America via rail, boat and truck.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-2024: S2145 referred to Transportation
2021-2022: S6528 referred to Transportation
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined subject to appropriation.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
90 days after becoming law with agency reporting requirements taking
effect after 180 days.