Maryland 2024 Regular Session

Maryland Senate Bill SB153 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3	EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
4	4	[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
5	5	sb0153
6	6
7	7	SENATE BILL 153
8	8	R2 4lr0788
9	9	SB 203/23 – JPR (PRE–FILED)
10	10	By: Senator Jackson
11	11	Requested: September 29, 2023
12	12	Introduced and read first time: January 10, 2024
13	13	Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings
14	14
15	15	A BILL ENTITLED
16	16
17	17	AN ACT concerning 1
18	18
19	19	Maryland Department of Transportation – Child Exploitation and Human 2
20	20	Trafficking Awareness, Training, and Response 3
21	21
22	22	FOR the purpose of requiring the Maryland Department of Transportation to develop or 4
23	23	identify and implement a certain training program for certain transportation–sector 5
24	24	employees, taxicab drivers, and transportation network operators on the 6
25	25	identification and reporting of suspected child exploitation and human trafficking 7
26	26	victims; prohibiting the Public Service Commission from issuing or renewing a 8
27	27	taxicab driver’s license or issuing a transportation network operator’s license unless 9
28	28	the applicant has completed the training program; requiring a holder of a 10
29	29	transportation network operator’s license on a certain date to complete the training 11
30	30	program by a certain date, subject to license suspension; requiring certain 12
31	31	transportation–sector employers to certify that certain employees have completed 13
32	32	the training program; requiring certain transportation–sector employers to establish 14
33	33	procedures for reporting suspected child exploitation and human trafficking to 15
34	34	certain entities and to implement a certain child exploitation and human trafficking 16
35	35	prevention policy; prohibiting certain employers, employees, taxicab drivers, or 17
36	36	transportation network operators from being held civilly or criminally liable for 18
37	37	reporting or responding to in good faith a suspected incident of child exploitation or 19
38	38	human trafficking; requiring the Department to develop a sign displaying 20
39	39	information and resources for child exploitation and human trafficking victims and 21
40	40	requiring the sign to be displayed at certain locations; requiring the Department to 22
41	41	require frequent public service announcements with safety information for child 23
42	42	exploitation and human trafficking victims at certain locations; and generally 24
43	43	relating to child exploitation and human trafficking awareness, training, and 25
44	44	response. 26
45	45
46	46	BY adding to 27
47	47	Article – Public Utilities 28
48	48	Section 10–208.1 29 2 SENATE BILL 153
49	49
50	50
51	51	Annotated Code of Maryland 1
52	52	(2020 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 2
53	53
54	54	BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 3
55	55	Article – Public Utilities 4
56	56	Section 10–404(a) 5
57	57	Annotated Code of Maryland 6
58	58	(2020 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 7
59	59
60	60	BY adding to 8
61	61	Article – Transportation 9
62	62	Section 2–113 10
63	63	Annotated Code of Maryland 11
64	64	(2020 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 12
65	65
66	66	SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13
67	67	That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14
68	68
69	69	Article – Public Utilities 15
70	70
71	71	10–208.1. 16
72	72
73	73	THE COMMISSION MAY NOT IS SUE OR RENEW A TAXIC AB DRIVER’S LICENSE 17
74	74	UNLESS THE APPLICANT HAS COMPLETED THE TR AINING PROGRAM ON TH E 18
75	75	IDENTIFICATION AND R EPORTING OF SUSPECTE D CHILD EXPLOITATION AND 19
76	76	HUMAN TRAFFICKING PR OVIDED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 20
77	77	UNDER § 2–113 OF THE TRANSPORTATION ARTICLE. 21
78	78
79	79	10–404. 22
80	80
81	81	(a) (1) An operator may not provide transportation network services unless 23
82	82	the Commission has authorized the operator to operate on a provisional basis or has issued 24
83	83	a valid temporary or permanent transportation network operator’s license to provide 25
84	84	transportation network services. 26
85	85
86	86	(2) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY O THER PROVISION OF TH IS SECTION, 27
87	87	THE COMMISSION MAY NOT IS SUE A TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT TRANSPORTATION 28
88	88	NETWORK OPERATOR ’S LICENSE OR AUTHORI ZE OPERATION ON A PR OVISIONAL 29
89	89	BASIS UNLESS THE APP LICANT HAS COMPLETED THE TRAINING PROGRAM ON THE 30
90	90	IDENTIFICATION AND R EPORTING OF SUSPECTE D CHILD EXPLOITATION AND 31
91	91	HUMAN TRAFFICKING P ROVIDED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 32
92	92	UNDER § 2–113 OF THE TRANSPORTATION ARTICLE. 33
93	93
94	94	Article – Transportation 34
95	95
96	96	2–113. 35 SENATE BILL 153 3
97	97
98	98
99	99
100	100	(A) IN THIS SECTION, “TRANSIT SERVICE ” AND “TRANSIT STATION ” HAVE 1
101	101	THE MEANINGS STATED IN § 7–101 OF THIS ARTICLE. 2
102	102
103	103	(B) THIS SECTION APPLIES ONLY TO : 3
104	104
105	105	(1) AN EMPLOYEE WHO IS : 4
106	106
107	107	(I) A STATE EMPLOYEE WHO WO RKS AT A TRANSIT STA TION, 5
108	108	AIRPORT, PORT FACILITY, OR HIGHWAY REST STOP ; 6
109	109
110	110	(II) EMPLOYED UNDER A CONT RACT WITH THE STATE, 7
111	111	INCLUDING A HOSPITALITY EMPLOYEE , WHO WORKS AT A TRANS IT STATION, 8
112	112	AIRPORT, PORT FACILITY, OR HIGHWAY REST STOP ; 9
113	113
114	114	(III) A STATE EMPLOYEE WHO PR OVIDES TRANSIT SERVI CE; OR 10
115	115
116	116	(IV) EMPLOYED UNDER A CONT RACT WITH THE STATE TO 11
117	117	PROVIDE TRANSIT SERV ICE; 12
118	118
119	119	(2) AN EMPLOYER OF AN EMP LOYEE DESCRIBED IN I TEM (1) OF THIS 13
120	120	SUBSECTION; 14
121	121
122	122	(3) A TAXICAB DRIVER ; AND 15
123	123
124	124	(4) A TRANSPORTATION NETWO RK OPERATOR . 16
125	125
126	126	(C) (1) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL : 17
127	127
128	128	(I) IN CONJUNCTION WITH H UMAN TRAFFICKING SUR VIVORS 18
129	129	AND ADVOCATES , DEVELOP OR IDENTIFY A ND IMPLEMENT A TRAIN ING PROGRAM , 19
130	130	INCLUDING A CURRICULUM , ON THE IDENTIFICATIO N AND REPORTING OF 20
131	131	SUSPECTED CHILD EXPL OITATION AND HUMAN T RAFFICKING; AND 21
132	132
133	133	(II) ADMINISTER THE TRAINI NG PROGRAM TO ALL EM PLOYEES 22
134	134	AND CONTRACT EMPLOYE ES OF THE DEPARTMENT , TAXICAB DRIVERS , AND 23
135	135	TRANSPORTATION NETWO RK OPERATORS. 24
136	136
137	137	(2) THE TRAINING PROGRAM SHALL INCLUDE A VIDE O 25
138	138	PRESENTATION THAT : 26
139	139
140	140	(I) IS PROVIDED IN A DIGI TAL VIDEO OR INTERNET–BASED 27
141	141	VIDEO FORMAT ; 28 4 SENATE BILL 153
142	142
143	143
144	144
145	145	(II) IS NOT LESS THAN 15 MINUTES IN LENGTH ; AND 1
146	146
147	147	(III) INCLUDES: 2
148	148
149	149	1. AN OVERVIEW OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING, INCLUDING 3
150	150	THE DEFINITION OF HU MAN TRAFFICKING UNDE R STATE AND FEDERAL LAW ; 4
151	151
152	152	2. EXPERIENCES OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING VICTIMS ; 5
153	153
154	154	3. DISCUSSION OF HOW AND WHY HUMAN TRAFFICKIN G 6
155	155	OCCURS IN THE TRANSP ORTATION INDUSTRY ; 7
156	156
157	157	4. GUIDANCE ON HOW TO ID ENTIFY INDIVIDUALS WHO 8
158	158	ARE MOST AT RISK OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING ; 9
159	159
160	160	5. GUIDANCE ON THE ROL E OF THE EMPLOYEE , TAXICAB 10
161	161	DRIVER, OR TRANSPORTATION NE TWORK OPERATOR IN REPORTING AND 11
162	162	RESPONDING TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING; AND 12
163	163
164	164	6. CONTACT INFORMATION , INCLUDING THE NATIONAL 13
165	165	HUMAN TRAFFICKING RESOURCE CENTER HOTLINE TOLL–FREE NUMBER AND 14
166	166	TEXT LINE AND APPROP RIATE LAW ENFORCEMEN T AGENCIES , THAT THE 15
167	167	EMPLOYEE, TAXICAB DRIVER , OR TRANSPORTATION NE TWORK OPERATOR CAN U SE 16
168	168	TO REPORT HUMAN TRA FFICKING. 17
169	169
170	170	(3) TRAINING MATERIALS , INCLUDING THE VIDEO REQUIRED UNDER 18
171	171	PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION , SHALL BE PROVIDED IN ENGLISH AND 19
172	172	SPANISH. 20
173	173
174	174	(4) A TRANSPORTATION NETWO RK COMPANY MAY OFFER THE 21
175	175	TRAINING PROVIDED UN DER THIS SECTION THR OUGH THE TRANS PORTATION 22
176	176	NETWORK COMPANY ’S ONLINE PLATFORM . 23
177	177
178	178	(D) (1) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION , 24
179	179	ON OR BEFORE OCTOBER 1, 2025, AND EACH OCTOBER 1 THEREAFTER , EACH 25
180	180	EMPLOYER SHALL CERTI FY TO THE DEPARTMENT THAT ALL T HE EMPLOYER’S 26
181	181	EMPLOYEES HAVE COMPLETED THE TRAINI NG PROGRAM . 27
182	182
183	183	(2) AN EMPLOYER SHALL PRO VIDE A NEW EMPLOYEE WITH THE 28
184	184	TRAINING REQUIRED UN DER THIS SECTION PRIOR TO THE EMPLOYE E’S FIRST DAY 29
185	185	OF EMPLOYMENT . 30
186	186	SENATE BILL 153 5
187	187
188	188
189	189	(E) EACH EMPLOYER , IN CONSULTATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT , SHALL: 1
190	190
191	191	(1) ESTABLISH A PROCEDURE FOR EMPLOYEES , CONTRACT 2
192	192	EMPLOYEES, TAXICAB DRIVERS , AND TRANSPORTATION N ETWORK OPERATORS TO 3
193	193	REPORT SUSPECTED INC IDENTS OF CHILD EXPL OITATION OR HUMAN TR AFFICKING 4
194	194	TO APPROPRIATE SECUR ITY STAFF, LAW ENFORCEMENT , OR THE NATIONAL HUMAN 5
195	195	TRAFFICKING RESOURCE CENTER HOTLINE; AND 6
196	196
197	197	(2) IMPLEMENT A CHILD EXP LOITATION AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING 7
198	198	PREVENTION POLICY FO R EMPLOYEES , CONTRACT EMPLOYEES , TAXICAB DRIVERS , 8
199	199	AND TRANSPORTATION N ETWORK OPERATORS BY PROVIDING INFORMATIO N ON 9
200	200	HOW TO: 10
201	201
202	202	(I) RECOGNIZE POTENTIAL VICTIM S OF HUMAN TRAFFICKI NG; 11
203	203
204	204	(II) RESPOND TO AN INDIVID UAL WHO MAY BE OR IS A VICTIM 12
205	205	OF CHILD EXPLOITATIO N OR HUMAN TRAFFICKI NG; AND 13
206	206
207	207	(III) CONNECT AN INDIVIDUAL WHO MAY BE OR IS A V ICTIM OF 14
208	208	CHILD EXPLOITATION O R HUMAN TRAFFICKING WITH AVAILABLE RESOURCE S. 15
209	209
210	210	(F) AN EMPLOYER , AN EMPLOYEE , A CONTRACT EMPLOYEE , A TAXICAB 16
211	211	DRIVER, OR A TRANSPORTATION NETWORK OPERATOR MAY NOT BE HELD CIVILLY 17
212	212	OR CRIMINALLY LIABLE FOR REPORTING OR RES PONDING IN GOOD FAIT H TO A 18
213	213	SUSPECTED INCIDENT O F CHILD EXPLO ITATION OR HUMAN TRA FFICKING. 19
214	214
215	215	(G) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DEVE LOP A SIGN DISPLAYIN G INFORMATION 20
216	216	AND RESOURCES FOR CH ILD EXPLOITATION AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING VI CTIMS 21
217	217	AND REQUIRE THE SIGN TO BE DISPLAYED AT T RANSIT STATIONS , AIRPORTS, PORT 22
218	218	FACILITIES, AND HIGHWAY REST STOPS . 23
219	219
220	220	(H) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL REQU IRE FREQUENT PUBLIC SERVICE 24
221	221	ANNOUNCEMENTS WITH S AFETY INFORMATION FO R CHILD EXPLOITATION AND 25
222	222	HUMAN TRAFFICKING VI CTIMS TO BE MADE , IN BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH, AT 26
223	223	TRANSIT STATIONS , AIRPORTS, PORT FACILITIE S, AND HIGHWAY REST STO PS. 27
224	224
225	225	SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 28
226	226	October 1, 2024. 29
227	227