EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb0270*
HOUSE BILL 270
C2, E4 2lr1400
HB 338/21 – ECM CF SB 91
By: Delegates Ebersole, Palakovich Carr, Patterson, and Ruth
Introduced and read first time: January 13, 2022
Assigned to: Economic Matters
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 8, 2022
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Business Regulation – Innkeepers – Maintenance of Guest Records and 2
Employee Human Trafficking Awareness Training and Policy 3
FOR the purpose of requiring innkeepers to establish and maintain a certain 4
record–keeping system for guest transactions and receipts; requiring the Governor’s 5
Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services and the Maryland 6
Department of Labor to approve certain training programs regarding human 7
trafficking; requiring innkeepers to take certain actions to provide employees with 8
training on the prevention, identification, and reporting of human trafficking; and 9
generally relating to innkeepers and human trafficking. 10
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 11
Article – Business Regulation 12
Section 15–201 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2015 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 15
BY adding to 16
Article – Business Regulation 17
Section 15–209 and 15–210 18
Annotated Code of Maryland 19
(2015 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 20
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 21
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 22 2 HOUSE BILL 270
Article – Business Regulation 1
15–201. 2
(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. 3
(b) “Innkeeper” means the owner, operator, manager, or keeper of a lodging 4
establishment, or the agent of an owner, operator, manager, or keeper of a lodging 5
establishment. 6
(c) “Lodging establishment” means an inn, hotel, motel, or other establishment 7
that has at least four rooms available for a fee to transient guests for lodging or sleeping 8
purposes. 9
15–209. 10
(A) AN INNKEEPER SHALL ES TABLISH AND MAIN TAIN A COMPUTERIZED 11
RECORD–KEEPING SYSTEM OF AL L GUEST TRANSACTIONS AND RECEIPTS. 12
(B) A RECORD MAINTAINED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS SECTION SHALL BE 13
RETAINED BY THE INNK EEPER FOR NOT LESS T HAN 6 MONTHS AFTER THE DAT E OF 14
THE CREATION OF THE RECORD. 15
15–210. 16
(A) (1) THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE OF CRIME PREVENTION, YOUTH, AND 17
VICTIM SERVICES AND THE DEPARTMENT SHALL APPR OVE EDUCATIONAL 18
TRAINING PROGRAMS FO R THE ACCURATE AND P ROMPT IDENTIFICATION AND 19
REPORTING OF SUSPECT ED HUMAN TRAFFICKING . 20
(2) A TRAINING PROGR AM APPROVED UNDER TH IS SUBSECTION 21
MUST INCLUDE A VIDEO PRESENTATION THAT : 22
(I) DEFINES: 23
1. EXPLOITATION OF A CH ILD; AND 24
2. HUMAN TRAFFICKING ; AND 25
(II) OFFERS GUIDANCE TO E MPLOYEES OF INNKEEPE RS ON: 26
1. RECOGNIZING POTENTIA L VICTIMS OF HUMAN 27
TRAFFICKING; 28
HOUSE BILL 270 3
2. THE DIFFERENCES BETW EEN LABOR AND SEX 1
TRAFFICKING THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO THE HOTE L INDUSTRY; 2
3. ACTIVITIES COMMONLY ASSOCIATED WITH HUMA N 3
TRAFFICKING; AND 4
4. THE ROLE OF EMPLOYEE S IN REPORTING AND 5
RESPONDING TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING. 6
(B) (1) AN INNKEEPER SHALL PR OVIDE A NEW EMPLOYEE OF THE 7
LODGING ESTABLISHMEN T WITH THE ANNUAL TR AINING DESCRIBED IN 8
SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION WITH IN 45 90 DAYS AFTER THE DATE THE 9
EMPLOYEE IS HIRED . 10
(2) (I) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBPARAGRAPH (II) OF THIS 11
PARAGRAPH , ON OR BEFORE OCTOBER 1, 2023, AND EACH OCTOBER 1 12
THEREAFTER , AN INNKEEPER SHALL C ERTIFY TO THE DEPARTMENT THAT ALL 13
EMPLOYEES OF THE LOD GING ESTABLISHMENT H AVE RECEIVED THE ANN UAL 14
TRAINING PRESCRIBED BY THIS SECTION. 15
(II) THE REQUIREMENT UNDER THIS PARAGRAPH DOES NOT 16
APPLY TO AN EMPLOYEE FOR WHOM FEWER THAN 45 90 DAYS HAVE ELAPSED SI NCE 17
THE DATE THE EMPLOYE E WAS HIRED. 18
(C) AN INNKEEPER SHALL : 19
(1) ESTABLISH A PROCEDUR E FOR REPORTING POTE NTIAL 20
INSTANCES OF HUMAN T RAFFICKING BY: 21
(I) AN EMPLOYEE TO THE I NNKEEPER; OR 22
(II) THE INNKEEPER TO THE: 23
1. LAW ENFORCEMENT ; 24
2. THE NATIONAL HUMAN TRAFFICKING RESOURCE 25
CENTER HOTLINE; AND 26
3. THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE OF CRIME PREVENTION, 27
YOUTH, AND VICTIM SERVICES; 28
(2) DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A HUMAN TR AFFICKING PREVENTION 29
POLICY FOR THE INNKE EPER’S EMPLOYEES THAT INC LUDES HOW TO : 30
4 HOUSE BILL 270
(I) RECOGNIZE POTENTIAL VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRA FFICKING; 1
(II) RESPOND TO AN INDIVI DUAL WHO MAY BE OR I S A VICTIM OF 2
HUMAN TRAFFICKING; AND 3
(III) CONNECT AN INDIVIDUA L WHO MAY BE OR IS A VICTIM OF 4
HUMAN TRAFFICKING WI TH ANY AVAILABLE RES OURCES; AND 5
(3) POST PROMINENTLY THE SIGN DEVELOPED BY TH E DEPARTMENT 6
UNDER § 15–207 OF THIS SUBTITLE IN A LOCATION CONSPICUO US TO THE 7
INNKEEPER’S EMPLOYEES. 8
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 9
October 1, 2022. 10
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.