BILL NUMBER: S9170
SPONSOR: CLEARE
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the executive law, in relation to requisite training
instruction for police officers for crimes involving human trafficking;
and to amend the transportation law, in relation to requisite training
for entities providing public transportation
 
PURPOSE:
This bill would require police officers and public transportation work-
ers to undergo training to recognize and handle suspected human traf-
ficking.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one expands and clarifies the responsibilities of the New York
State Police regarding human trafficking. It requires the Superintendent
of the State Police to develop, maintain, and distribute training mate-
rials, establish formal response procedures, and consult with the Munic-
ipal Police Training. Council on training standards.
Section two creates mandatory training requirements for all police offi-
cers statewide on human trafficking crimes and how to identify and
handle victims.
Section three creates new human trafficking recognition training for
public transportation workers, including employees of private contrac-
tors who operate transit routes.
Section four is the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
This bill strengthens New York's response to human trafficking by
expanding, standardizing, and institutionalizing training and response
protocols for law enforcement officers and public transportation employ-
ees - two groups most likely to encounter human trafficking victims.
Although some agencies and jurisdictions currently provide training on
human trafficking, such training is not uniformly required, not stand-
ardized statewide, and not consistently updated. This uneven approach
results in missed opportunities for intervention, inconsistent victim
treatment, and lost opportunities to hold traffickers accountable.
This bill addresses these gaps by establishing uniform, mandatory train-
ing standards for police officers statewide and by creating a human
trafficking recognition training requirement for public transportation
employees, who are uniquely positioned to observe trafficking indicators
in high-traffic transit environments. The bill also strengthens State
Police policies and procedures to ensure a victim-centered, trauma-in-
formed response and appropriate referrals to services.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
TBD.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a law;
provided that the amendments to subdivision 8 of section 840 of the
executive law made by section two of this act shall take effect on the
same date and in the same manner as section one of chapter 632 of the
laws of 2025 takes effect, Effective immediately, the addition, amend-
ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
tation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and
completed on or before such effective date.

Statutes affected:
S9170: 214-d executive law