Bill CS/HB 651 Human Trafficking
Human Trafficking
Abstract
This paper aims to analyze Bill CS/HB 651 – a Human Trafficking bill that requires the DSO (Direct-Support Organization) to train fire safety inspectors to recognize and report human trafficking. The bill focuses on providing organizational assistance to The State-wide Council on Human Trafficking within the Department of Legal Affairs (DLA) to end human trafficking. The paper is divided into sections that purpose to analyze the policy in depth and formulate a summary of findings from sources that address the matters concerning the bill.
Introduction
Increased cases of human trafficking in Florida prompted the establishment of DSO (a Direct-Support Organization) that aims at providing assistance, funding, and supporting The State-wide Council on Human Trafficking (Council) within the Department of Legal Affairs (DLA) to end human trafficking. The proposed human trafficking bill requires the DSO to train fire safety inspectors to recognize and report human trafficking. The bill concentrates on the immediate organizational assistance of the council on human trafficking to create training for fire safety investigators, and the training is eligible for continuing education credits required by fire safety inspectors to renew their certification. The bill was brought about by the subcommittee on public safety and criminal justice, Overdorf (Florida senate, 2022). It will focus on the detection of human trafficking, reporting practices, and handling human trafficking survivors (Florida House of Representatives, 2022)
Historical Analysis
Tackling the issue of human trafficking in Florida requires a collaborative approach by all agencies, both at the state and local positions. This is through training, education, creating awareness, capital provision, and serving justice to victims. The office of the Attorney General prosecutes cases of human trafficking and reaches out to the community through state assistants. It uses workshops and conferences on human trafficking. The Attorney general’s office collaborates with the Governor and legislature to curb trafficking through implementation and maximizing of penalties (Statewide council on human trafficking, 2019)
Several bills have also been put in place to curb the vice over the recent past years. In 2012, bill 99 on sexual exploitation was passed to address cases of minors who suffered trafficking in the form of exploitation. Bill 7049 on human trafficking was also discussed, combining human and sex trafficking into forming a sole statute. In 2013 bill 1325 was put in place to allow human trafficking victims to petition for the removal of convictions during the time of victimization. In 2014 bill 7141 pushed for the approval of task forces in the local community to address human trafficking. It also offered guidelines for foster homes and safe houses. During the same year, bill 989 was mandated to protect victims of trafficking. In 2015 bills 369,465 and 469 came in to create awareness, enhancing penalties and exemption of safe hoses and foster homes, respectively. In 2016, bill 545 addressing trafficking as murder if a victim dies in the process was introduced. In 2017 bill 852 was put in to conduct staffing of the exploitation of underage victims to commercial sex (Statewide Council on Human Trafficking, 2019)
The federal government and its collaborative agencies have also come up with initiatives to help in containing human trafficking. In 2013 the Attorney general’s office launched the campaign ‘From instant message to instant nightmare. This included the display of materials in buses, malls and billboards. In 2015 the Attorney general’s office, in collaboration with the sheriffs, created the ‘Tricounty awareness campaign’ through funding to help in public awareness. In January 2017, the Attorney general’s office, in partnership with Tampa International Airport, launched a ‘You can stop human trafficking awareness campaign. This was aimed at educating on human trafficking signs and encouragement of crime reporting (Statewide Council on Human Trafficking, 2019)
The bill is not a new idea. The concept was discussed in 2016 when the role of Emergency Medical Service providers in ending human trafficking was highlighted in the Blue Campaign. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) established the Blue Campaign to collaborate with the government and other organizations in unifying efforts to fight human trafficking (EMS, 2016). In 2018, the U.S. Fire Administration required the Emergency Medical Service providers to undergo training in identifying human trafficking when dealing with the people. EMS has a vital role to play as they are in a better position to recognize the key signs of human trafficking through the identification of potential victims and providing care and resources. EMS has played a role effectively in curbing human trafficking and hence, training more service providers, as in this case, fire safety inspectors, will accelerate the end of human trafficking (U.S. Fire Administration, 2020).
Problem Description
According to the National Human Trafficking Resource Centre (NHTRC), data recorded between 2013 and 2015 shows that minors recorded 32% of the overall cases reported. Out of this, 83.6% and 16.4% of cases were females and males, respectively. Out of the total number of cases reported, 71% of the cases were sex trafficking, 18% were labour trafficking, and 4% were grouped as both. The remaining cases were not specified (State of Florida, 2016). Female victims are most likely to be between the ages of 18 and 20, while male victims are more likely to be older (CTDC, 2019). Florida State is ranked third in the United States for human trafficking cases, with Jacksonville City ranking 48th among the top 100 most populous cities for human trafficking (WJCT News, 2019). Human trafficking victims are of any gender, although the female gender has a high record of 606 as of December 2020. Ethnic minorities are at high risk of labor trafficking, with 63% of Hispanics and 17% of Asian race or nationality (National Human Trafficking Hotline, 2020). The United States holds a record of 3 million of the total population of 30 million globally. Most of the victims enticed are poor and mentally challenged individuals Swith the assurance of emotional and financial security but are forced into labour and commercial sex. Potential channels of targeting victims include shopping malls, social media, chat lines or streets. The state of Florida recorded an even distribution in the number of human trafficking cases since 2012 (Florida Department of Education, n.d.)
Causes
Human trafficking is caused by many instances that differ from one region to another. These include lack of human rights, local conditions, poverty, oppression, lack of opportunities, internal conflicts and political instability. Population displacement increases exploitation and vulnerability to trafficking and coerced labour. Such factors put pressure on victims causing them to migrate and hence making them vulnerable. Migration is also caused by instances of poverty whereby victims shift from areas with adverse poverty. This makes them vulnerable to being lured into trafficking with the aim of getting opportunities. Open borders and corruption weaken border immigration. Such borders increase the permeability of trafficking. Improper legislation and the lack of federal willingness to enforce policies and penalties put in place to curb trafficking make the vice rampant (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, n.d.).
Personal Story
At 17 years of age, Marcela was a single mother, and circumstances made her vulnerable to human trafficking. She was lured into trafficking in the form of employment after not meeting a hospital bill of her sick child. Instead, she was forcefully lured into prostitution in a bid to pay back the amount she owed after her travel documents were withheld. When she managed to get back to her country, she never got emotional and physical support based on her experience, forcing her back into prostitution. After she got out of prostitution, she published documents to sensitize and create awareness on human trafficking. Another instance is Mark, who was lured into coerced labour at 24 years of age. He was promised decent pay, which he gladly took since he had no employment. Shockingly the job turned into physically demanding work that had no rest nor income (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2017).
Policy Description
The Judiciary Committee Released the CS/HB 615 policy on human trafficking on the 4th of February 2022 and is currently awaiting the second reading at the house calendar. The bill was first voted and approved by the public safety and criminal subcommittee on the 18th of January 2022. It was then forwarded to the Government operations subcommittee agenda that approved it on the 3rd of February 2022. The bill was then passed on to the Judiciary Committee that approved it on the 8th of February 2022. The accompanying bills to this include the following. Bill H 617 has public records and the statewide council on human trafficking meetings. Another is bill S 1436 on the training on human trafficking (The Florida Senate, 2022).
Legislative Support
The bill CS/HB 615 is sponsored by the criminal justice and public safety subcommittee, Overdorf. The members of the House and Senate who introduce a bill for consideration are also considered sponsors, or primary sponsors. The co-sponsors of this bill are the Government operations subcommittee and the judiciary committee (The Florida Senate, 2022).
Bill Implementation
The legislator introduces a bill, which is subsequently referred to the appropriate committees. The bill is next evaluated by the committee, which considers if it should be changed, passed, or rejected. Suppose the bill is passed, it is moved to the full house or other committees of reference. Voting on the bill is then done by the full house. After the third reading in the committee hearings, the bill will be passed to the Governor for signing. After signing, it is then forwarded to the state secretary. It is then confirmed as law 60 days after the Governor’s signing (The Florida Senate 2021).
Outcomes
The proposed bill recommends the Direct Support Organization (DSO) integrated as Florida Alliance to stop human trafficking. The bill also requires the provision of training for the inspectors of fire safety in recognising human trafficking and reporting the matter. Training on the indicators of human trafficking will help fire safety officers to identify victims and report to authorities. This bill is further expected to eliminate outdated language (The Florida Senate, 2022).
Policy Analysis
In Florida, three branches make up the government. These are the executive, legislature and the judiciary. The legislature is responsible for making the law and is divided into the Senate and House of Representatives. For a bill to become a law, it must be passed by a majority of representatives and senators. Once a bill is passed, it goes for the Governor’s approval. The Governor can then sign it into law or reject it. However, the bill can still be a law if two-thirds of both the Senate and the House vote it again. No part is more powerful than the other (Exploring Florida, 2002). Elections in Florida are held in November on the second Tuesday on even-numbered years. Presidential and gubernatorial elections are conducted after every four years. The next presidential election will be held in 2024, while gubernatorial elections will be held in 2022 (Jones, n.d.).
Florida generates its revenue through events such as concerts, cultural and sports. These events encourage and boost tourism in the state. However, these events are also a channel for human trafficking. Training will help in detection and reporting practices for human trafficking (The Florida Senate, 2022). According to Attorney General Ashley Moody, she prioritises ending trafficking in Florida. Justice for traffickers is served, while restoration of victims is also made possible. She has partnered with trade associations, task forces in the stake agencies, law enforcement and business leaders with the aim of promoting safety at events. Creation of awareness is important in helping to give information about sign detection and reporting cases (Moody, 2022).
Through initiatives, Florida citizens can start amendments to the constitution. This form of legislation is possible through the process of petition. Sponsors register committees for the purposes of campaigning, then the process of collecting signatures starts. In Florida, sponsors are not limited to the time of submission of signatures for petitions. Once the desired number of signatures is reached, the signatures then undergo a process of verification. In order for amendments to take effect in Florida, 60 percent of voters must approve them (Ballotpedia, n.d.).
Financial Feasibility
The bill on human trafficking will negatively impact the state’s expenditure. This is subject to the costs incurred in the process of training law enforcers and the oversight of the direct support organizations. This bill is roughly estimated to cost $20,000 for the development of the curriculum on the awareness of human trafficking. The oversight of this bill will be done by the direct organization that will be created by the department of legal affairs. The main objective of the direct support organization is to obtain statute approval of the contract with the intended agency that it was formulated to support. Due to the creation and oversight of the direct support organization, the department of legal affairs will meet the cost. The business and health departments will also incur costs in the first implementation year. This is due to the compliance requirements in the public hospitality industry. The federal government will benefit financially from this bill through revenue collection. Fines on the hospitality industries that fail to meet requirements will generate income for the state government (The Florida State, 2019).
Value Clarifying Feasibility
The National Association of Social Workers’ code of ethics comprises various principles. The first principle is service, which entails offering assistance to those in need and addressing social problems. Based on their knowledge, skills, and values, social workers voluntarily offer their skills without beneficial expectations. Similarly, this bill matches this ethic principle in that the office of the county sheriff will partner in the training of fire safety inspectors. The second principle is dignity and human worth. This principle ensures that social workers treat people with integrity, despite ethnic and cultural differences. This bill will favour all victims subjected to trafficking with equal dignity. The third principle is social justice. This bill ensures that social workers act on behalf of the most vulnerable individuals in society. This bill is similar to the code of ethics whereby law enforcers, together with fire safety inspectors, will ensure social injustice in the form of human trafficking is addressed (The National Association of Social Workers (NASW), n.d.).
American core values consist of various values. The first one is individualism. This is a belief that the identity of an individual is secured and should not be prone to any form of violation. This is a belief that creates significance in the initiatives of individuals. Individualism also furthers the benefits of independence, personal expression, and the need for privacy. Equality is a value that advocates for the fair treatment of individuals. This involves dignity, economic success, equal opportunities in education, and political involvement. Liberty is a value that gives people freedom of speech and action as long as they do not infringe on other people’s rights. This bill is in line with these core values in that it favours victims subjected to trafficking and forced labour. The bill pushes for liberty and equality for every citizen and also upholds their dignity by protecting them from such exploitation (Hasdk, n.d.).
References
Ballotpedia. (n.d.). Laws governing the initiative process in Florida. https://ballotpedia.org/Laws_governing_the_initiative_process_in_Florida#Applying_to_petition
CTDC. (2019). Counter-trafficking data collaborative (CTDC). https://www.ctdatacollaborative.org/story/age-victims-children-and-adults
EMS. (2016). Ems’s role to end human trafficking. EMS.gov. https://www.ems.gov/newsletter/marapr2016/end-human-trafficking.html
Exploring Florida. (2002). Florida’s state government. FCIT | Florida Center for Instructional Technology. https://fcit.usf.edu/florida/lessons/stategov/stategov.htm
Florida Department of Education. (n.d.). Child Human Trafficking. https://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/5411/urlt/HumanTraffickingToolkit.pdf
Florida House of Representatives. (2022). Florida House of Representatives. Calendar for 2/18/2022 – The Florida Senate. https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2022/615/BillText/c1/PDF
The Florida Senate. (2019). House of Representatives Staff Analysis. https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2019/851/Analyses/h0851c.APC.PDF
The Florida Senate. (2021). Idea to Law. https://www.flsenate.gov/PublishedContent/ADMINISTRATIVEPUBLICATIONS/idea-to-law.pdf
Florida senate. (2022, February 8). CS/HB 615 Human trafficking. Calendar for 2/18/2022 – The Florida Senate. https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2022/615/ByVersion
The Florida Senate. (2022, February 8). CS/HB 615: Human Trafficking. Calendar for 2/18/2022 – The Florida Senate. https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2022/615/ByVersion
The Florida Senate. (2022). Florida House of Representatives. Calendar for 2/18/2022 – The Florida Senate. https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2022/615/BillText/c1/PDF
The Florida Senate. (2022). HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES STAFF ANALYSIS. Calendar for 2/19/2022 -. https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2022/615/Analyses/h0615c.GOS.PDF
Hasdk. (n.d.). American Core Beliefs. Hazleton Area School District / Overview. https://www.hasdk12.org/cms/lib3/PA01001366/Centricity/Domain/854/American%20Core%20Beliefs.pdf
Jones, T. (n.d.). HOW GOVERNMENT WORKS IN YOUR STATE. Home. https://www.votelevy.com/Portals/Levy/Documents/Florida%20Civics%20Booklet.pdf
Moody, A. (2022). Human Trafficking Prevention [Video]. You Can Stop HT. https://www.youcanstopht.com/
National Human Trafficking Hotline. (2020). Florida. https://humantraffickinghotline.org/state/florida
The National Association of Social Workers (NASW). (n.d.). Code of Ethics. UAF University of Alaska Fairbanks. https://www.uaf.edu/socwork/student-information/checklist/(D)-NASW-Code-of-Ethics.pdf
State of Florida. (2016). Human Trafficking Response in Florida. Florida Attorney General. https://myfloridalegal.com/webfiles.nsf/wf/mnos-af9p43/$file/2016humantraffickingannualreportsupplemt.pdf
Statewide Council on Human Trafficking. (2019, January 18). An all Hands on Deck Approach to Combat trafficking. Florida Attorney General. https://myfloridalegal.com/webfiles.nsf/WF/MVIS-B8JT3C/$file/HTAnnualReport2018Web.pdf
U.S. Fire Administration. (2020, March 13). Training helps EMS workers identify human trafficking signs. https://www.usfa.fema.gov/blog/ci-110818.html
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (2017, October). Hear their voices. Act to protect. https://www.unodc.org/documents/human-trafficking/GLO-ACT/GLOACT_Victim-Testimonies_October_2017.pdf
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (n.d.). Addressing the Root Causes. https://www.unodc.org/documents/human-trafficking/Toolkit-files/08-58296_tool_9-2.pdf
WJCT News. (2019, January 23). Florida is among the three worst human trafficking states. https://news.wjct.org/first-coast/2019-01-22/florida-is-among-the-three-worst-human-trafficking-states