State Senators approve legislation continuing General Assembly’s ongoing efforts to combat Human Trafficking
(NASHVILLE, Tenn.), March 28, 2019 – Several bills continuing the Tennessee General Assembly’s ongoing efforts to combat human trafficking advanced this week. While the crime is largely underreported, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) Director David Raush testified to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday that 98 cases of human trafficking were opened in the state last year, 75 of which involved minors. Experts believe, however, that as many as 94 children are trafficked in Tennessee each month.
State legislators have approved a series of bills over the past eight years addressing the problem of human trafficking after a 2011 Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) report showed 73 of the state’s 95 counties have reported the crime within their borders. These legislative efforts earned Tennessee Shared Hope International’s highest ranking for fighting human trafficking. The group’s 2018 report card scored Tennessee with a grade of 96.5, an A rating.
One bill advancing through the Judiciary Committee this week sets up a mechanism to provide grants to agencies specializing in comprehensive treatment and support services for victims through the Victims of Human Trafficking Fund. Senate Bill 447 gives priority to programs identified by the TBI and Department of Children’s Services which are successful in providing medical care, counseling, substance abuse services, safe housing, job training, transportation, and other basic human needs.
Another bill, which received final approval on the Senate floor, allows a victim of human trafficking to expunge their record of associated non-violent crimes. Under Senate Bill 577, petitioners who are able to prove they were a victim of human trafficking to the district attorney and judge, could have all violations subject to expungement cleared from their record. All sentences, including probation, must be completed before the record is cleared and expunged convictions would be reinstated if the victim commits similar crimes in the future.
In the Senate Education Committee, members voted to require that family life curriculum in the state’s public schools include instruction on the detection, intervention, and treatment of human trafficking in which the victim is a child. Senate Bill 1195 also calls for teachers to receive a one-time in-service training on human trafficking via video or online learning. The proposal now goes to the full Senate for final consideration.
Finally, approval was given to Senate Bill 644 in the House of Representatives on Monday which ensures that undercover human trafficking operations conducted by law enforcement officials to catch offenders who promote or patronize minors are prosecutable in Tennessee courts of law. The legislation now goes to Governor Bill Lee for his signature.