2010 Polaris Project Legislative Success! 

5/20/10: Maryland Governor Signs Two Important Human Trafficking Bills! 
Polaris Project commends the Maryland General Assemby and the Governor for enacting two bills into law to help victims of trafficking and raise penalties for convicted traffickers:    HB 283 & SB 261 increase penalties for criminals who subject adults to human trafficking and penalize those who knowingly benefit from human trafficking. Additionally, this legislation makes it a crime to use a person's I.D. in the course of human trafficking, and to engage in conduct intending to cause someone to believe that if they did not take part in a sexually explicit performance, they would suffer physical restraint or serious physical harm. In addition, the newly enacted HB 1322 & SB 542 will provide for the posting of the National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline in any hotels or motels that have been the location for arrests leading to convictions of prostitution, human trafficking or solicitation of a minor for a period of one year. Both laws go into effect on October 1, 2010.

4/30/10: Alabama Governor Signed Anti-Human Trafficking Bill!
Polaris Project commends the Alabama legislature and Governor for enacting Alabama's first comprehensive state anti-human trafficking legislation.  House Bill 432 was signed into law on April 30, 2010.  It creates brand new human trafficking crimes and penalties; provides for asset forfeiture and seizure; provides for mandatory restitution to victims; allows victims to sue their traffickers; and creates other protections for victims of human trafficking.  With this signing, the number of states with no anti-human trafficking crime on their books is reduced to 6: Hawaii, where a bill is currently on the governor's desk; Massachusetts; Ohio; South Dakota; West Virginia; Wyoming; plus the District of Columbia. 

4/20/10: Vermont Governor Signed Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force and Research Commission Bill!
Polaris Project commends the Vermont legislature and Governor Douglas for enacting Vermont's first anti-human trafficking-specific legislation. Senate Bill 272 creates an anti-human trafficking task force, research commission, and law enforcement advisory board. The 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. The bill was signed on April 20, 2010.

3/19/10: Oregon Governor Signed Human Trafficking Hotline Bill Into Law!
Polaris Project commends the Oregon legislature and sponsor Representative Barton for enacting HB 3623, which provides for the posting of human trafficking information by establishments obtaining a liquor license. The information, ideally in the form of posters or stickers, is to be provided by a non-profit organization, and may include information about the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) hotline number. Posting the NHTRC toll free hotline will provide help and assistance to victims, anyone who wants to provide a tip, and anyone who would like additional information on human trafficking.

3/11/10: Virginia Legislature Passes Crime Commission Study Resolution!
Polaris Project commends the Virginia Legislature for passing HJ 97, introduced by Delegate David Bulova, which will enable the VA Crime Commission to shed further light on human trafficking in Virginia.  The Commission will now gather statistics on human trafficking and other crimes that are committed by human traffickers or that create an enabling environment for human trafficking.  Polaris Project worked closely with Delegate Bulova to draft the resolution and to develop a list of research questions for the Commission, focusing on how often human trafficking and related crimes are committed, prosecuted and appropriately punished in Virginia.

2009 Polaris Project Legislative Success! 

10/11/09: California Governor Signed Anti-Human Trafficking Bill!
Polaris Project commends California Governor Schwarzenegger for signing legislation to strengthen the state’s anti-human trafficking laws. AB 17, introduced by Assembly Member Sandre Swanson, improves California’s human trafficking law by increasing penalties for trafficking minors and by providing a means of funding necessary victim services for minors. This bill was signed by the Governor on October 11, 2009.

5/22/09: Nevada Legislation on Child Sex Trafficking Signed into Law
AB 380, introduced by Assembly Members Bernie Anderson and John Hambrick, strengthens and improves the state’s comprehensive approach to prosecuting sex traffickers and helping victims by increasing criminal fines for those found guilty of child sex trafficking, and provides proceeds from forfeitures to organizations working to address child prostitution.
Read the full press release.

4/28/09: Maryland Governor for Signing Anti-Trafficking Legislation
Polaris Project commends Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley for signing legislation to strengthen the state’s anti-human trafficking laws. The newly signed Maryland legislation, HB 542, makes it illegal to “persuade, induce, entice, or encourage another to be taken or placed in any place for prostitution.”   Ambassador Mark Lagon, Executive Director of Polaris Project, observed, "This is a landmark step which is a model for other states -- to put more tools in the toolbox of those holding sex traffickers to account.  It allows Maryland to go after pimps as sex traffickers."  Lagon added, “We are thrilled to see such broad support for improving the law in Maryland."
Read the full press release.

3/4/09:  Anti-Human Trafficking Bill Signed in Virginia
On March 4, the Virginia General Assembly passed the anti-human trafficking bill (HB 2016).  The bill was signed by the Governor on March 30, 2009.  Now, aspects of human trafficking including forced labor or services obtained through force, intimidation or deception are a crime under Virginia law. Read the summary.

12/09:  The Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act Passed Congress
The Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), which first became law in 2000, represents the first major comprehensive U.S. legislative effort to address modern-day slavery. Congress recently passed new legislation with important provisions and amendments that strengthen the U.S. government's efforts to combat human trafficking in the United States and abroad.

The William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) of 2008 significantly enhances the tools available to prosecute traffickers and increases protection and services for U.S. citizen and foreign national victims in the U.S.  Other highlights of the bill include provisions that:

• strengthen the State Department's rating system of other countries' anti-trafficking efforts, which is used as a diplomatic tool to urge those governments to improve their anti-trafficking policy
• strengthen the role of the State Department's Trafficking in Persons Office in both domestic and foreign policy
• strengthen U.S. policy toward countries that use children in armed groups
• improve employment-based visa processing to prevent trafficking of migrant workers to the United States
• create new protections for unaccompanied foreign national children arriving in the United States
• improve the T-visa (special visa for trafficking victims in the United States) to protect victims and their family members
• authorize new studies, reports, and data collection mechanisms to improve our understanding of human trafficking globally and in the U.S.

To read the full bill on The Library of Congress website, click here and search for bill number HR 7311.

2008 Polaris Project Legislative Success

9/26/08:  New York Enacts Safe Harbor for Exploited Youth Act 
New Law Shields Children From Prostitution Charges | The New York Times | September 26, 2008

ALBANY — Ending years of debate and delay, Gov. David A. Paterson on Friday signed into law a bill shielding sexually exploited girls and boys from being charged with prostitution.

The law, known as the Safe Harbor for Exploited Youth Act, will divert children under the age of 18 who have been arrested for prostitution into counseling and treatment programs, provided they agree to aid in the prosecution of their pimps.

It has been the subject of intense debate in the State Legislature and beyond, and was opposed by some law enforcement officials and by the Bloomberg administration, which argued that the bill would make it harder to crack down on prostitution.

But the bill’s backers said it was wrong to treat under-age prostitutes — many forced into the sex trade and kept there with physical threats and abuse — as criminals rather than victims.

Read more...

Read Polaris Project's letter to Governor Paterson.