GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2017

H                                                                                                                                                    1

HOUSE BILL 910

 

 

Short Title:      Human Trafficking: Resistance and Rescue.

(Public)

Sponsors:

Representatives Brawley, Malone, Dollar, and Davis (Primary Sponsors).

For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.

Referred to:

Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

April 26, 2017

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT establishing a pilot program to educate students in grades six, eight, and ten about the dangers and signs of human trafficking, to train law enforcement officers to identify signs of human trafficking, to appropriate funds to implement the pilot programs, and to appropriate funds to the department of health and human services to provide shelter beds and mental health services to victims of human trafficking.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.(a)  The State Board of Education shall, in conjunction with local boards of education, establish a pilot program to educate students in grades six, eight, and 10 about the dangers and signs of human trafficking. The program shall include (i) information on the warning signs of human trafficking, (ii) terms used by traffickers, (iii) actions or behaviors that indicate a trafficker's malicious intent, (iv) Internet Web sites that are popular with traffickers, and (v) available counseling and advocacy center options for students affected by trafficking. Prior to incorporating the program into the curriculum, teachers and instructional support personnel who will be responsible for educating students about human trafficking shall receive training on (i) how to recognize sexual abuse and sex trafficking of minors, including common warning signs indicating that a minor may be a victim of sexual abuse or sex trafficking, (ii) actions that a minor who is a victim of sexual abuse or sex trafficking should take to obtain assistance and intervention, (iii) available counseling and child advocacy center options for minors affected by sexual abuse or sex trafficking, and (iv) mandatory reporting laws as provided in Chapter 7B of the General Statutes. Any materials used in the program by teachers and instructional support personnel shall be age appropriate. Not later than September 1, 2018, the State Board of Education shall report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on the number of education and training sessions held with students, teachers, and instructional support personnel, the types of information and materials found to be helpful in the sessions and training, and the feedback received from students, teachers, and instructional support personnel regarding the effectiveness of the training and sessions. The report shall also include an analysis of the costs and benefits of providing the education and training sessions to students, teachers, and instructional support personnel across the State.

SECTION 1.(b)  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the State Board of Education the sum of two million two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($2,250,000) in nonrecurring funds for each fiscal year of the 2017‑2019 fiscal biennium to implement the pilot program established in subsection (a) of this section.

SECTION 2.(a)   The Department of Public Safety shall, in conjunction with local police departments and sheriff's offices, establish a pilot program to train law enforcement officers to identify signs of human trafficking. The training shall include (i) ways in which businesses in the community may serve as fronts for human trafficking, (ii) ways that building security may be used to keep people inside instead of keeping people out, (iii) ways in which the condition of rooms in a residence may indicate it is being used for human trafficking, (iv) the signs of physical and/or sexual abuse, including bruises, burns, scars, broken bones, black eyes, poor hygiene, malnourishment, intense fear or depression, or lack of eye contact with anyone, (v) the signs that may indicate a person lacks control over his or her personal identification documents, including immigration documents, and (vi) information on available counseling and child advocacy center options for minors affected by sexual abuse or sex trafficking. Not later than September 1, 2018, the Department of Public Safety shall report to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Justice and Public Safety on the number of sessions held with law enforcement officers, the types of information and materials found to be helpful in the training, and the feedback received from law enforcement officers regarding the effectiveness of the training to better equip them in identifying victims of human trafficking. The report shall also include an analysis of the costs and benefits of providing the training to law enforcement officers across the State.

SECTION 2.(b)  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Public Safety the sum of four hundred thousand dollars ($400,000) in nonrecurring funds for each fiscal year of the 2017‑2019 fiscal biennium to implement the pilot program established in subsection (a) of this section.

SECTION 3.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services (Department) the sum of:

(1)        Twelve million five hundred thousand dollars ($12,500,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2017‑2018 fiscal year and the sum of twenty‑five million dollars ($25,000,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2018‑2019 fiscal year to provide shelter beds reserved for human trafficking victims. For purposes of this section, the term "shelter bed" means any bed that is available for at least one overnight stay and affiliated in some way with a nongovernmental, nonprofit organization that serves human trafficking victims exclusively or through a human trafficking‑specific program or funding stream. The Department shall establish procedures to determine how the funds appropriated under this subdivision shall be allocated for the purposes provided in this subdivision.

(2)        Four million five hundred thousand dollars ($4,500,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2017‑2018 fiscal year and the sum of nine million dollars ($9,000,000) for the 2018‑2019 fiscal year to provide mental health services to human trafficking victims. The Department shall establish procedures to determine how the funds appropriated under this subdivision shall be allocated for the purposes provided in this subdivision.

SECTION 4.  The provisions of this act shall apply only to New Hanover, Wake, and Mecklenburg Counties.

SECTION 5.  Sections 1(b), 2(b), and 3 become effective July 1, 2017. The remainder of this act is effective when it becomes law.