What's happening
This bill requires all customer-facing public transportation employees in New York to complete standardized human trafficking recognition training.
Why it matters
Expands frontline detection. By requiring all customer-facing public transportation employees to complete training, the bill equips thousands of workers who regularly interact with the public to identify and potentially intervene in human trafficking situations.
Creates a unified, expert-driven curriculum. The training program will be developed by state agencies and the interagency task force, ensuring that it reflects legal definitions, current best practices, and input from multiple relevant sectors—including law enforcement and social services.
Connects victims to support. The curriculum specifically covers how to recognize victims, what legal and social resources exist, and how to refer survivors for help, increasing the likelihood that trafficked individuals can access the assistance they need.
Sets a rapid timeline for implementation. By mandating that the standardized training be ready within six months, the law aims for quick action and early impact, rather than a prolonged rollout.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Train Employees to Spot Trafficking
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 7
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Recommit, enacting clause stricken
- Referred to social services
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Train Transit Staff on Trafficking
Vetoed · Sponsor Pamela J. Hunter
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2506
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 25, 2019
Introduced by Sen. KAPLAN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Social Services
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to employee human trafficking recognition training; and relating to authorizing the establishment of a standardized human trafficking recognition training program
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The social services law is amended by adding a new section 483-gg to read as follows:
§ 483-gg. Human-trafficking recognition training. Any public transportation service, including, but not limited to, rail passenger service, motorbus regular route service, paratransit service, motorbus charter service, and ferry passenger service, shall require all customer-facing employees to undergo a human-trafficking recognition training program established by the division of criminal justice services and the office of temporary and disability assistance in consultation with the department of labor and the New York state interagency task force on human trafficking. For the purposes of this section the term "customer-facing employee" shall mean any employee whose job involves interacting or communicating directly with customers.
§ 2. In consultation with the New York Interagency Task Force on Human Trafficking and the commissioner of labor, the commissioner of the division of criminal justice services and the commissioner of the office of temporary and disability assistance shall together establish a standardized human-trafficking recognition training program for employees of public transportation services. The commissioners may use federal, state, and non-profit organization sources provided that such training program shall address no less than the following issues:
(a) The nature of human trafficking;
(b) How human trafficking is defined in law;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05104-01-9
S. 2506 2
(c) How to identify victims of human trafficking;
(d) Relief and recovery options for survivors; and
(e) Social and legal services available to victims.
The commissioner of the division of criminal justice services and the commissioner of the office of temporary and disability assistance shall complete the human-trafficking recognition training program and make it available for use no more than six months after the effective date of this act.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the social services law, in relation to employee human trafficking recognition training; and relating to authorizing the establishment of a standardized human trafficking recog- nition training program
Purpose or general idea of bill
This bill would necessitate that all public facing transportation employees would be required to complete a human-trafficking recognition training program.
Summary of provisions
Section 1: Amends the social services law to include that any public transportation service must require all public facing employees to undergo a human-trafficking recognition training program established by the division of criminal justice services and the office of temporary and disability assistance in consultation with the New York State inter- agency task force on human trafficking.
Section 2: Provides that the commissioner of the division of criminal justice services and the commissioner of the office of temporary and disability assistance, in consultation with the New York Interagency Task Force on Human Trafficking and the commissioner of transportation, will establish a standardized anti-trafficking training program for employees of public transportation services. Provides issues that the training will include.
Section 3: Establishes the effective date.
Justification
Many human traffickers are reliant on public transportation to move their victims throughout the United States. The U.S. Department of Transportation has recognized this issue and now trains Amtrak employees in recognizing the indications that an individual is being trafficked. To further combat human trafficking, this bill expands the scope of transportation employees that would be trained in recognizing when a person might be a victim of trafficking. Human trafficking is a hidden crime, and the first step to combating it is to identify victims so they can be rescued and help bring their perpetrators to justice. While the victims may sometimes be kept behind locked doors, they are often hidden in everyday occupations and transported in the open via public transpor- tation. Many traffickers use coercion to ensure that victims do not seek help, necessitating the need for transportation employees with training to look for subtle indicators to determine if someone is potentially a trafficking victim. Once a potential victim has been identified, train- ing will ensure that employees know the right questions to ask and are understanding of the coercive circumstances that may limittbe victim's communication. This training will raise awareness of human trafficking and will also save lives.
Prior legislative history
A 10869 Passed Assembly in 2018
Fiscal implications for state and local governments
None
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.