HUMAN TRAFFICKING BOARD ACT                                                           S.B. 596 (S-2):

                                                                                                    SUMMARY OF BILL

                                                                                      REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE

Senate Bill 596 (Substitute S-2 as reported)

Sponsor:  Senator Dave Robertson

Committee:  Families, Seniors and Human Services

CONTENT

The bill would create the "Human Trafficking Board Act", which would establish the Human Trafficking Board as an autonomous entity within the Department of Community Health. The Board would have to include all of the following members:

-- The Governor, or his or her designated representative.

-- The State Attorney General, and the Directors of the Departments of State Police, Human Services, Community Health, and Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, or their designated representatives.

-- One individual appointed by the Senate Majority Leader, and one individual appointed by the minority leader of the Senate.

-- One individual appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and one individual appointed by the minority leader of the House.

-- One circuit court judge, appointed by the Governor.

-- One county prosecuting attorney, appointed by the Governor.

-- One police officer, appointed by the Governor.

The Board members would serve without compensation, but could be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses. The first meeting of the Board would have to be called by January 1, 2015, and subsequent meetings would have to be held at least quarterly. The Board would be subject to the Open Meetings Act and the Freedom of Information Act.

The Board would have to collect and analyze information regarding human trafficking; identify Federal, State, and local agencies involved with human trafficking issues and coordinate the dissemination of information with them; review existing services provided to human trafficking victims; establish a program to improve public awareness of human trafficking; and review existing State laws and administrative rules and make recommendations to the Legislature to improve those laws and rules. The Board also would have to file a report with the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives regarding its activities by February 1 of each year.

Legislative Analyst:  Jeff Mann

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill would result in a minor increase in administrative costs for the Department of Community Health. While board members would not be compensated, existing Department resources would be used to pay the actual and necessary expenses they incurred in the performance of their official duties. Other new costs could result from the requirement that a program to improve public awareness of human trafficking be established. These costs are difficult to estimate as they would depend on the recommendation of the Board.

Date Completed:  9-29-14                                                 Fiscal Analyst:  Ellyn Ackerman

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.