Federal: Help Pass a Bill to Appropriate Funds for Human Trafficking Victims! 
(Updated May 8, 2009)
In the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) of 2008, Congress authorized tens of millions of dollars to fund services for U.S. citizen and foreign national victims of human trafficking in the U.S. None of these funds can be released until Congress passes a separate bill to appropriate the needed funds.   It is critical that all senators and representatives are aware of this urgent need.  Please take action.

Rhode Island:  Human Trafficking Legislation Under Debate!
(Updated June 30, 2009)
Human trafficking is a brutal crime that victimizes both US citizens and foreign nationals in the U.S. are victimized.  Rhode Island’s current human trafficking policy lags behind federal law and many state laws in how it addresses sex trafficking and labor trafficking.  Rhode Island legislators can and must improve the law – and the final step is to pass H 5661 and S 605.  This legislation will improve the state’s approach to stopping human trafficking.  Please take action.

Washington DC:  Public Hearing Rescheduled for July 6th on the Prohibition Against Human Trafficking  Act!
(Updated June 30, 2009)
Every year traffickers generate billions of dollars in profits by victimizing millions of people around the world – including people in Washington D.C. The U.S. Capitol city is one of the top ten destinations for human traffickers in the U.S.  Victims include U.S. citizens and foreign nationals who are forced or coerced to provide labor, from domestic servitude to labor operations to various service industries, or commercial sex in hotels, brothels, and on the street.  Victims face a horrific life with little hope of escape in which they are repeatedly threatened, beaten, raped, isolated, psychologically abused, or subjected to debt bondage.  These crimes are committed for one reason: the financial profit of traffickers.

The District lacks laws to adequately cover cases like these, but with your help legislation now under consideration will change this.  The Prohibition Against Human Trafficking Act of 2009 (number 18-70) would create the crime of human trafficking, covering both labor and sex trafficking, with appropriately sever penalties.   This legislation will help end human trafficking in D.C. and help victims.  But in order for it to pass, D.C. Council Members need to know that the public is in support - so please take action and attend this critical hearing!

Texas:  Two Important Bills Combined into One! 
(Updated June 20, 2009)
The Governor of Texas signed two bills into law to make a significant impact on human trafficking - the fastest growing criminal industry in the world.  This legislation will help end human trafficking by creating a statewide task force, obtaining critical research information, recognizing the reality that U.S. citizen victims face similar challenges and have similar needs to foreign nationals by providing grants for desperately needed victim services and by implementing training for police, prosecutors and judges on human trafficking, which has proven crucial to the difficult task of identifying traffickers. Please take a moment to contact Governor Perry and thank him for siging this important legislation into law. 

California: Urge Legislators to Support Two Important Anti-Trafficking Bills! 
(Updated May 29, 2009)
1.  AB 17, introduced by Assembly Member Sandre Swanson, will improve California’s human trafficking law by increasing penalties for trafficking minors and also by providing a means of funding necessary victim services for minors. This legislation passed the Assembly Committee on Appropriations with bi-partisan support, and the full Assembly will vote on it next week. Please take action now. 

2.  SB 557, legislation introduced by Senator Leland Yee, creates economic disincentives for the practice of slavery in California by authorizing the declaration of real property used to facilitate the crime of human trafficking as a nuisance.  Once the property is declared a nuisance, the criminal activity conducted on the property will be stopped, damages may be recovered and the property may be closed for any use. This legislation passed the Senate with bi-partisan support on May 26th and is now under consideration in the Assembly.  Please take action now.

Nevada: Governor Signs Anti-Trafficking Legislation into Law!
(Updated May 22, 2009)
HB 380, introduced by Assembly Members Bernie Anderson and John Hambrick, is designed to strengthen and improve the state’s comprehensive approach to prosecuting sex traffickers and helping victims. This critical legislation was signed into law by the Governor on May 22nd, 2009.  Read more and find out what you can do.

Find out what else is happening around the country! 

Thank you for taking action!  Your help has lead to much legislative success!