What's happening
This bill requires customer-facing public transportation employees in New York to complete standardized human trafficking recognition training.
Why it matters
Increases public transit workers’ role in identifying victims. By requiring front-line employees to be trained, the bill leverages the unique position of transit workers—who regularly interact with large numbers of people—to spot and report signs of human trafficking that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Standardizes training content statewide. The bill mandates a uniform curriculum developed by multiple state agencies and experts, ensuring all transportation employees across New York receive consistent, comprehensive instruction on recognizing trafficking indicators and understanding victims’ needs.
Improves access to help for trafficking victims. By teaching employees about available relief, recovery, and social/legal services, the bill aims to create more informed intervention points, potentially connecting more victims with critical support resources.
Signals institutional commitment to combating trafficking. The legislation embeds anti-trafficking efforts into public service infrastructure, reflecting a broader societal priority and potentially encouraging other sectors to adopt similar measures.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Train Transit Staff on Trafficking
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Substituted by A1283
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.724
- Reported and committed to finance
- 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
3465
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 7, 2019
Introduced by Sens. BIAGGI, 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. 3465 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 trans- ported in the open via public transportation. Many traffickers use coer- cion to ensure that do not seek help, necessitating the need for trans- portation employeep,wi training to look for subtle indicators to deter- mine if someone is potdrti4l a trafficking victim. Once a potential victim has been identified, training will ensure that employees know the right questions to ask and are understanding of the coercive circum- stances that may limit the victim's communication. This training will raise awareness of human trafficking and will also save lives.
Prior legislative history
2017-18: A.7725, enacting clause stricken 2018: A.10869, passed assembly
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.