BILL NUMBER: S9341A
SPONSOR: SCARCELLA-SPANTON
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the general business law, in relation to penalties for a
lodging facility that fails to comply with certain requirements for
providing information concerning services for human trafficking victims
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To clarify penalties for noncompliance to ensure that lodging facilities
provide information concerning services for human trafficking victims.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends the general business law by adding a new subdivision to
section 206-f describing the penalties for failing to comply with the
section.
Section 2 provides the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Human trafficking is a multi-billion-dollar industry, profiting off the
exploitation and abuse of vulnerable persons. Traffickers frequently use
businesses such as hotels and motels to house victims white in transit,
or for the purchase and sale of their forced services. In response to
this, New York enacted a law in 2018 which would require lodging facili-
ties to post information on services to help human 'trafficking victims
in public areas in the facilities, as well as guest rooms. While many
lodging facilities have complied with the law, it has been found that
numerous facilities have failed to post this information that can be
lifesaving to human trafficking victims.
This bill clarifies the penalty for failing to comply with the law
requiring the posting of information on services for human trafficking
victims. It provides for a grace period for a facility to come into
compliance with the law once they have been notified that they are not
complying. The intent of this legislation is to ensure that all lodging
facilities make information available that can assist human trafficking
victims in escaping enslavement. This bill is a necessary step to ensure
that businesses are complying with laws which protect vulnerable persons
within our state's borders.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
None to the State
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have
become a law.

Statutes affected:
S9341: 206-f general business law
S9341A: 206-f general business law