The next phase of the state’s ongoing effort to crack down on human trafficking may dovetail with a stalled push to improve Georgia’s mental health care system.
That was among the messages from the latest meeting of the Grace Commission, the panel led by first lady Marty Kemp that vets new ways to punish the crime and safeguard victims.
The meeting Tuesday came as her husband, Gov. Brian Kemp, signed the latest piece of an ongoing legislative overhaul targeting the scourge.
With the first lady at his side, Kemp approved a measure that increases the penalty for business owners who don’t post notices that detail how victims of human trafficking can get help.
“It may not sound like much,” Marty Kemp said, “but the reality is this simple step could save lives if the notice reaches the right person. This is especially critical in busy areas where traffickers often hide in plain sight.”
The measure, Senate Bill 42, passed with only one no vote in the Legislature. That dissent was cast by state Sen. Colton Moore, a Republican who regularly votes against legislation.
That was an anomaly. Most of the other measures Marty Kemp has promoted have passed unanimously, including a trio of laws adopted in 2021 that gives victims new power to sue for damages against traffickers and require more education about how to prevent the crime.
“Brian always likes to joke how my bills are more popular than his, but the reality is that the fight against human trafficking is not a partisan issue,” said the first lady.
The package reflects an approach to criminal justice that has put punishing sex traffickers and gang members at the center of the governor’s agenda. He framed it as a push to make Georgia “a hostile state for traffickers and a safe haven for victims.”
It’s not yet clear what the next phase of the legislation will involve, but Marty Kemp said it could wrap into a broader effort to boost mental health resources. That legislation stalled this year amid infighting among Republican lawmakers.
“It’s another light to shine on there,” she said. “That’s something we will definitely be discussing more.”
Anyone with information or suspicions of human trafficking should call the state hotline at 1-866-ENDHTGA, where they can speak with trained law enforcement agents, advocates and first responders.
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