2022 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 88
BY SENATOR MIZELL
A RESOLUTION
To urge and request the Department of Education to enact policies to locate and assist truant
children who may be trafficked.
WHEREAS, under Louisiana law, a truant child is a child who is habitually absent
from school or habitually tardy without proper authorization, and in some cases is a child
who misses five or more unexcused days of school within a school year; and
WHEREAS, a child being trafficked is more likely to also be a truant child,
according to the United States Department of Education in the January 2021 report, "What
Schools Can Do to Prevent, Respond, and Help Students to Recover From Human
Trafficking, Second Edition"; and
WHEREAS, a child who is being trafficked is also likely to have been in the care of
the Department of Children and Family Services, having witnessed or experienced abuse or
neglect prior to being trafficked; and
WHEREAS, the "Human Trafficking, Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes,
and Commercial Sexual Exploitation" 2021 Annual Report published by the Department of
Children and Family Services identified five hundred thirty children who were victims of
trafficking in 2020 and received services in the form of mental health or substance abuse
treatment, medical care, or basic housing, clothing, and shelter needs; and
WHEREAS, the annual report identified that five hundred of the five hundred thirty
children were forced into sex trafficking and four hundred seventy-six of the five hundred
thirty juvenile victims were female; and
WHEREAS, the juvenile victims were most commonly trafficked in the parishes of
East Baton Rouge, Orleans, Caddo, Rapides, Plaquemines, and Ouachita.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby urge and request the Department of Education to enact policies to locate and
Page 1 of 2 SR NO. 88 ENROLLED
contact truant children who may be trafficked and provide appropriate services to treat
potential substance use disorders, mental health concerns, or medical health needs.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
secretary of the Department of Education.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
Page 2 of 2