NBC: New California laws target human trafficking with transit, hotel workers
By Agnes Constante
LOS ANGELES — Two new California laws will require workers in certain industries to go through training to identify human trafficking as part of a package of legislation that advocates expect will help the state address the issue.
California Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday signed into law six bills aimed at addressing human trafficking, two of which require human trafficking awareness training in industries where workers are likely to encounter trafficking victims. The laws are scheduled to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2019, with training to be complete by 2020 for hotel and motel workers and by 2021 for transit workers.
One of the bills, introduced by Assembly Member Ash Kalra, a Democrat whose district includes parts of San Jose in Northern California, requires transit employees to undergo at least 20 minutes of human trafficking awareness training. Another measure introduced by state Sen. Toni Atkins, the president pro tempore of the state Senate and a Democrat whose district includes parts of San Diego County, amends existing state law by requiring hotel and motel employers to provide workers with the same type of training.