Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S1187 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 506 FILED ON: 1/13/2025
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1187
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Mark C. Montigny
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act to prevent human trafficking through increased public awareness.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Mark C. MontignySecond Bristol and Plymouth 1 of 6
16	16	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 506 FILED ON: 1/13/2025
17	17	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1187
18	18	By Mr. Montigny, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1187) of Mark C. Montigny for
19	19	legislation to prevent human trafficking through increased public awareness. The Judiciary.
20	20	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
21	21	SEE SENATE, NO. 1063 OF 2023-2024.]
22	22	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
23	23	_______________
24	24	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
25	25	(2025-2026)
26	26	_______________
27	27	An Act to prevent human trafficking through increased public awareness.
28	28	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
29	29	of the same, as follows:
30	30	1 SECTION 1. Chapter 6C of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition,
31	31	2is hereby amended by adding the following sections:-
32	32	3 Section 80. (a) The department shall display public awareness signs that contain the
33	33	4National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline, or a successor hotline, along with basic
34	34	5information regarding the signs of human trafficking, in every transportation station, rest area,
35	35	6and welcome center that is open to the public.
36	36	7 (b) Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority stations, busses, trains, subway cars, street cars,
37	37	8and passenger vehicles shall display, in a conspicuous location, public awareness signs that
38	38	9contain the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline, or a successor hotline, along
39	39	10with basic information regarding the signs of human trafficking. 2 of 6
40	40	11 (c) Regional Transit Authority stations, busses, and passenger vehicles shall display, in a
41	41	12conspicuous location, public awareness signs that contain the National Human Trafficking
42	42	13Resource Center Hotline, or a successor hotline, along with basic information regarding the signs
43	43	14of human trafficking.
44	44	15 (d) Massachusetts Port Authority airports and ferry terminals shall display, in a
45	45	16conspicuous location, public awareness signs that contain the National Human Trafficking
46	46	17Resource Center Hotline, or a successor hotline, along with basic information regarding the signs
47	47	18of human trafficking.
48	48	19 Section 81. The department shall promulgate rules and regulations, in collaboration with
49	49	20the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, regional transit authorities, and Massachusetts
50	50	21Port Authority, to provide anti-human trafficking education and training for all new and existing
51	51	22employees, including but not limited to bus drivers, street car and train operators, ferry boat
52	52	23operators, venders and ticket collectors, custodial and sanitation workers, mechanics, and any
53	53	24other employee having frequent interaction with the public or who may come in contact with a
54	54	25victim of human trafficking, or is likely to receive in the course of their employment a report
55	55	26from another employee about suspected human trafficking.
56	56	27 The anti-human trafficking education and training may be incorporated into existing
57	57	28employment training programs and, at a minimum, shall include:
58	58	29 (i)the definition of commercial exploitation, human trafficking, sex trafficking, and
59	59	30labor trafficking;
60	60	31 (ii)common physical and emotional signs of human trafficking in victims; 3 of 6
61	61	32 (iii)guidance and emergency response training for employees who encounter
62	62	33suspected human trafficking activities including protocols on how to report suspected human
63	63	34trafficking activity, including but not limited to, national anti-human trafficking hotlines (1-888-
64	64	35373-7888 and text line 233733), state and local police, and any appropriate federal law
65	65	36enforcement authorities; and
66	66	37 (iv)education on identifying potential victims and vulnerable populations most at risk
67	67	38to be victims of human trafficking.
68	68	39 The department may collaborate with public entities and non-profit organizations for the
69	69	40acquisition of educational materials, trainings, or other resources to carry out said regulations;
70	70	41provided further, that the department shall review and periodically update said regulations at
71	71	42least once biannually in order to ensure education and training programs incorporate best
72	72	43practices to combat human trafficking and provide appropriate assistance to victims.
73	73	44 SECTION 2. Section 8 of chapter 90F of the General Laws as so appearing, is hereby
74	74	45amended by inserting at the end thereof the following paragraphs:-
75	75	46 A person convicted of trafficking of persons for sexual servitude under section 50 of
76	76	47chapter 265, trafficking of persons for forced services under section 51 of said chapter 265, or
77	77	48under 18 U.S.C. § 1581, 1583, 1584, 1589, 1590, or 1591 shall be disqualified from obtaining
78	78	49any license to operate a commercial motor vehicle as defined by section 1.
79	79	50 No person, having been disqualified from obtaining a commercial motor vehicle license
80	80	51under this section shall have said license reinstated for any reason except in such case wherein
81	81	52the convicted person has been granted judicial relief by a state or federal court of competent 4 of 6
82	82	53jurisdiction on grounds which tend to establish the innocence of the individual as prescribed by
83	83	54section 1(C) of chapter 258D.
84	84	55 SECTION 3. Chapter 111 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
85	85	56inserting after section 51L the following section:-
86	86	57 Section 51M. The department shall require each hospital licensed pursuant to this chapter
87	87	58to display, in a conspicuous location, public awareness signs that contain the National Human
88	88	59Trafficking Resource Center Hotline, or a successor hotline, along with basic information
89	89	60regarding the signs of human trafficking.
90	90	61 SECTION 4. Section 2 of chapter 159A ½ of the General Laws, as so appearing, is
91	91	62hereby amended by inserting after subsection (m) the following subsections:-
92	92	63 (n) In consultation with the registry of motor vehicles, the division shall provide for the
93	93	64establishment of removable decals to be placed in a conspicuous place within the vehicle that
94	94	65contain the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline, or a successor hotline, along
95	95	66with basic information regarding the signs of human trafficking.
96	96	67 (o) The department shall promulgate rules and regulations requiring transportation
97	97	68network companies to provide anti-human trafficking education materials to all new and existing
98	98	69transportation network drivers as defined in section 1 of this statute. The materials shall include:
99	99	70 (i)the definition of commercial exploitation, human trafficking, sex trafficking, and
100	100	71labor trafficking;
101	101	72 (ii)common physical and emotional signs of human trafficking in victims; 5 of 6
102	102	73 (iii)guidance and emergency response tips for drivers who encounter suspected
103	103	74human trafficking activities including protocols on how to report suspected human trafficking
104	104	75activity, including but not limited to, national anti-human trafficking hotlines (1-888-373-7888
105	105	76and text line 233733), state and local police, and any appropriate federal law enforcement
106	106	77authorities; and
107	107	78 (iv)education on identifying potential victims and vulnerable populations most at risk
108	108	79to be victims of human trafficking.
109	109	80 The department may collaborate with non-profit organizations or other state or federal
110	110	81agencies for the creation, procurement, and distribution of said educational materials to
111	111	82transportation network companies and drivers.
112	112	83 SECTION 5. Section 4(b) of chapter 159A ½ of the General Laws, as so appearing, is
113	113	84hereby amended by inserting at the end thereof the following:-
114	114	85 (ix) has given written confirmation of the receipt of anti-human trafficking educational
115	115	86materials to the transportation network company pursuant to section 2(o) of this chapter. The
116	116	87transportation network company shall retain such receipt from the driver for the duration of the
117	117	88driver’s certificate.
118	118	89 SECTION 6. Section 100A of chapter 265 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is
119	119	90hereby amended by inserting at the end thereof the following paragraph:-
120	120	91 A person convicted under section 50 or 51 of chapter 265 of the General Laws or U.S.C.
121	121	92§ 1581, 1583, 1584, 1589, 1590, or 1591 shall not be eligible to seal said records under section
122	122	93100A of chapter 276 of the general laws. 6 of 6
123	123	94 SECTION 7. The department shall promulgate regulations pursuant to section 1 within
124	124	95180 days from the effective date of this act.
125	125	96 SECTION 8. The department shall promulgate regulations pursuant to section 4 within
126	126	97180 days of the effective date of this act.