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Ohio: Anti-Human Trafficking Legislation Needs Your Voice!
(Updated March 12, 2010)
The Ohio State Legislature is now considering important legislation to address the grave crime of human trafficking. Please join us in taking action to support SB235 to criminalize human trafficking and punish the criminals who exploit others for profit in Ohio. Ohio is one of only seven states with no human trafficking laws! Click here to take action now!
Marylanders: Please Take Action on Human Trafficking Legislation!
(Updated March 11, 2010)
The Maryland Senate has just passed legislation to allow the state to seize the ill-gotten gains of convicted human traffickers, but the House Judiciary has yet to move this critically needed legislation! Profits are the primary motivator for human traffickers - who net billions of dollars each year from this brutal crime. Please take a moment to urge your state Delegates and Chairman Vallario of the House Judiciary Committee, to do all that they can to move this critically needed legislation forward. Click here to take action now!
Virginia: Legislature Unanimously Passes Criminal Forfeiture Legislation!
(Updated March 3, 2010)
Legislation requiring the forfeiture of vehicles used in human trafficking passed the Virginia General Assembly unanimously and now goes to Virginia Governor McDonnell for his signature. House Bill 1113 would permit the forfeiture of a vehicle used in the crime of abduction – which covers human trafficking activities in Virginia – or the crime of prostituting a minor upon a first offense. Please help support this legislation by calling or emailing Governor McDonnell to urge him to sign into law House Bill 1113!
Alabama: Comprehensive Anti-Human Trafficking Legislation Being Heard
(Updated March 3, 2010)
Alabama is one of only a few states with no law against human trafficking! Forty-three other states have passed human trafficking laws. Alabama legislators can take one step closer to eradicating human trafficking in Alabama by passing House Bill 432. House Bill 432 would create new human trafficking crimes and penalties; provide for mandatory restitution to victims; allow victims to sue their traffickers; provide for asset forfeiture and seizure; and create other protections for victims of human trafficking. Please help support this legislation by calling your state representatives and telling them to vote ‘Yes’ on House Bill 432! Take action today!
Vermont: Legislation creating an Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force needs your support!
(Updated March 1, 2010)
In order to better understand the problem of human trafficking in Vermont, the Vermont Senate recently passed Senate Bill 272, which would create an anti-human trafficking task force and a law enforcement advisory board. This task force and advisory board will raise public awareness about human trafficking in Vermont and will recommend changes to improve Vermont’s approach to combating human trafficking within its borders. Please help support this legislation by calling your state representatives and telling them to vote ‘Yes’ on Senate Bill 272! Take action today!
Oregonians: Please Take Action on Human Trafficking Legislation
(February 19, 2010)
In Oregon, victims of sex and labor trafficking include both U.S. citizens and foreign nationals, minors and adults. One of the tactics that traffickers use to control and manipulate victims, is to keep them as isolated as possible. Thankfully legislation that will increase awareness about this horrible crime and provide needed help to victims and anyone wishing to provide tips on human trafficking has just passed the legislature and is now headed to the Governor - but your help is needed! Please take a moment to urge lthe Governor to sign this important bill into law, to provide for the posting of human trafficking information - and hotline numbers, by establishments obtaining a liquor license. Thank you!
Washingtonians: Take Action on Human Trafficking Legislation
(February 12, 2010)
Washington state is not immune from the blight of sex trafficking and labor trafficking. Thankfully the legislature is now considering legislation to help extend assistance to victims and awareness to the community about human trafficking. Senator Kohl-Welles has introduced legislation to require placement of human trafficking informational posters in bathroom stalls at rest stops. Please take a moment to contact your legislators about this important bill, and to urge their support!
Pennsylvania: Two Important Measures on Human Trafficking Legislation!
(March 1, 2010)
Human Trafficking is one of the fastest growing criminal industries in the world, inwhich traffickers reap billions in profits by using force, fraud or coercion to rob victims of their freedom. And while there are approximately 14,500-17,500 human beings trafficked into the U.S. each year, it is estimated that thousands of U.S. citizens are trafficked within the United States. Pennsylvania is not exempt from the brutality of human trafficking - but thankfully, legislative efforts are underway to change this! Please take a moment to take action on these two bills:
1. SB 1227 will provide access to help for victims of human trafficking through posting of the National Human Trafficking Hotline!
2. SR 253 and HR 630 will establish the Pennsylvania Human Trafficking Advisory Committee to study and collect important information about human trafficking within Pennsylvania, bring law enforcement, victim service providers and prosecutors together, and recommend policies to help bring human traffickers to justice and provide needed assistance to victims.
Please take a moment to ask your state legislators to support and cosponsor this important legislation!
Vermont: Comprehensive Human Trafficking Legislation Heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee on January 15 - Please Take Action!
(Updated January 20, 2010)
Human trafficking is one of the fastest growing criminal industries in the world, and every year traffickers generate billions of dollars by exploiting those seeking a better life, including U.S. citizens. Vermont’s current law falls behind federal law and a majority of state laws because it fails to criminalize labor trafficking and does not address critical elements of sex trafficking. Vermont legislators can take one step closer to eradicating human trafficking in Vermont by passing Senate Bill 272, legislation that provides a comprehensive approach to address human trafficking in Vermont. Please take action today!
Thank Congress for Funding Assistance to Survivors!
(Updated December 14, 2009)
In recent months, we have asked you to contact members of Congress to urge them to support appropriations to fight human trafficking – and they listened! The House and Senate have just passed an omnibus spending bill combining six separate appropriations bills, including the bills that fund the domestic anti-trafficking efforts of the Department of Justice (the Commerce-Justice-Science bill) and the Department of Health and Human Services (the Labor-HHS-Education bill). The omnibus bill contains key funding for human trafficking prosecution and victim protection! Now it simply awaits the President’s signature, which will likely happen in the very near future.
Washington DC: Comments Needed on the Prohibition Against Human Trafficking Act!
(Updated December 1, 2009)
The U.S. capital is one of the top ten destinations for human traffickers in the country, and currently lacks laws to adequately address human trafficking. 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 severe 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!
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.
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.
Thank you for taking action! For more information on enacted legislation please check out the Polaris Project Legislative Success page!
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