SPONSOR: Hannegan
COMMITTEE ACTION: Voted "Do Pass" by the Special Committee on Small Business by a vote of 17 to 0.
This bill provides that an employer at any of the types of establishments specified in the bill must, by January 1, 2022, provide to each employee likely to encounter or interact with a victim of human trafficking at least 20 minutes of interactive training and education regarding human trafficking awareness. The training must be provided to each employee employed as of July 1, 2022, and within six months to any new employee.
After January 1, 2023, such training may be provided once every two years and within six months of any new employee's employment if that employee is likely to encounter or interact with a victim of human trafficking. The bill specifies the minimum information the human trafficking awareness training must include.
If an employer fails to comply with the provisions in the bill, the Department of Public Safety may seek an order requiring the employer to comply.
This bill is similar to HB 1757 (2020).
PROPONENTS: Supporters say that the bill will help raise awareness regarding human trafficking by allowing businesses to provide interactive training and education activities to help their employees to be able to recognize situations that might be related to human trafficking and at risk individuals. This could lead to saving peoples lives.
Testifying for the bill were Representative Hannegan; and Arnie Dienoff.
OPPONENTS: There was no opposition voiced to the committee.
Written testimony has been submitted for this bill. The full written testimony can be found under Testimony on the bill page on the House website.
Statutes affected: