Politics
Politics

Human trafficking bill clears state Senate

By
March 21, 2013

A bill that would require strip clubs, job recruitment centers and other businesses to post notices telling human trafficking victims how to get help cleared the state Senate on Thursday.

The signs will refer people who are being sold for sex or forced into other labor to call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center, a toll-free, anonymous hotline run by the nonprofit Polaris Project. Hotels, truck stations, bus stops, rest areas and other establishments are also included in the bill.

House Bill 141 passed in a 47 -to-1 vote. The state House of Representatives approved the bill in February.

Businesses that do not comply may be punished by a fine of up to $500 on a first offense. Repeat offenders face a misdemeanor charge and a $5,000 fine.

About the Author

Willoughby Mariano is an investigative reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, where she focuses on housing and criminal justice issues. She previously worked for the AJC's PolitiFact Georgia, where she fact checked the claims of elected officials, and at the Orlando Sentinel, where she covered crime and breaking news.

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