EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0007*
SENATE BILL 7
R2 5lr0872
(PRE–FILED) CF HB 1
By: Senator Jackson
Requested: September 18, 2024
Introduced and read first time: January 8, 2025
Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Department of Transportation – Human Trafficking Awareness, Training, and 2
Response 3
(See Someone, Save Someone Act) 4
FOR the purpose of requiring the Maryland Department of Transportation to develop or 5
identify and implement a certain training program for certain transportation–sector 6
employees on the identification and reporting of suspected human trafficking 7
victims; requiring certain transportation sector employers to certify that certain 8
employees have completed the training program; requiring certain transportation 9
sector employers to establish procedures for reporting suspected human trafficking 10
to certain entities and to implement a certain human trafficking prevention policy; 11
prohibiting certain employers or employees from being held civilly or criminally 12
liable for reporting or responding to in good faith a suspected incident of human 13
trafficking; requiring the Department to require frequent public service 14
announcements with safety information for trafficking victims at certain locations; 15
and generally relating to human trafficking awareness, training, and response. 16
BY adding to 17
Article – Transportation 18
Section 2–114 19
Annotated Code of Maryland 20
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 21
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 22
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 23
Article – Transportation 24
2–114. 25 2 SENATE BILL 7
(A) IN THIS SECTION, “TRANSIT SERVICE ” AND “TRANSIT STATION ” HAVE 1
THE MEANINGS STATED IN § 7–101 OF THIS ARTICLE. 2
(B) THIS SECTION APPLIES ONLY TO: 3
(1) AN EMPLOYEE WHO IS : 4
(I) A STATE EMPLOYEE WHO WO RKS AT A TRANSIT STA TION, 5
AIRPORT, PORT FACILITY, OR HIGHWAY REST STOP ; 6
(II) A STATE EMPLOYEE WHO PR OVIDES TRANSIT SERVI CE; OR 7
(III) EMPLOYED UNDER A CONT RACT WITH THE STATE TO 8
PROVIDE TRANSIT SERV ICE; OR 9
(2) AN EMPLOYER OF AN EMP LOYEE DESCRIBED IN I TEM (1) OF THIS 10
SUBSECTION. 11
(C) (1) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL : 12
(I) IN CONSULTATION WITH STAKEHOLDERS , DEVELOP OR 13
IDENTIFY AND IMPLEME NT A TRAINING PROGRA M THAT INCLUDES A CU RRICULUM 14
ON THE IDENTIFICATIO N AND REPORTING OF S USPECTED HUMAN TRAFF ICKING; 15
AND 16
(II) ADMINISTER THE TRAINI NG PROGRAM TO ALL EMPLOYEES 17
AND CONTRACT EMPLOYE ES OF THE DEPARTMENT . 18
(2) THE TRAINING PROGRAM SHALL: 19
(I) INCLUDE A DEFINITION OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING ; AND 20
(II) OFFER GUIDANCE TO EMPLOYEE S AND CONTRACT 21
EMPLOYEES ON THE IDE NTIFICATION OF POTEN TIAL VICTIMS OF HU MAN 22
TRAFFICKING AND PROT OCOLS FOR REPORTING SUSPECTED HUMAN TRAF FICKING. 23
(D) (1) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION , 24
ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 1, 2026, AND EACH JANUARY 1 THEREAFTER , EACH 25
EMPLOYER SHALL CERTI FY TO THE DEPARTMENT THAT ALL T HE EMPLOYER ’S 26
EMPLOYEES HAVE COMPL ETED THE TRAINING PR OGRAM. 27
SENATE BILL 7 3
(2) AN EMPLOYER SHALL PRO VIDE A NEW EMPLOYEE WITH THE 1
TRAINING REQUIRED UN DER THIS SECTION WIT HIN 90 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF 2
HIRE. 3
(E) EACH EMPLOYER , IN CONSULTATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT , SHALL: 4
(1) ESTABLISH A PROCEDURE FOR EMPLOYEES AND CONTRACT 5
EMPLOYEES TO REPORT SUSPECTED INCIDENTS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING TO THE 6
APPROPRIATE LOCAL AG ENCIES, INCLUDING THE DESIGN ATED REGIONAL 7
NAVIGATOR; AND 8
(2) IMPLEMENT A HUMAN TRA FFICKING PREVENTION POLICY FOR 9
EMPLOYEES AND CONTRACT EMPLOYEES B Y PROVIDING INFORMAT ION ON HOW TO: 10
(I) RECOGNIZE POTENTIAL V ICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAF FICKING; 11
(II) RESPOND TO AN INDIVID UAL WHO MAY BE OR IS A VICTIM 12
OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING ; AND 13
(III) CONNECT AN INDIVIDUAL WHO MAY BE OR IS A V ICTIM OF 14
HUMAN TRAFFICKING WI TH AVAILABLE RESOURC ES. 15
(F) AN EMPLOYER, AN EMPLOYEE , OR A CONTRACT EMPLOYEE MAY NOT BE 16
HELD CIVILLY OR CRIM INALLY LIABLE FOR RE PORTING OR RESPONDIN G IN GOOD 17
FAITH TO A SUSPECTED INCIDENT OF HUMAN TR AFFICKING. 18
(G) TO THE EXTENT PRACTIC ABLE, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL REQU IRE 19
FREQUENT PUBLIC SERV ICE ANNOUNCEMENTS WI TH SAFETY INFORMATIO N FOR 20
HUMAN TRAFFICKING VI CTIMS TO BE MADE , IN BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH, AT 21
TRANSIT STATIONS , AIRPORTS, PORT FACILITIES, AND HIGHWAY REST STO PS. 22
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 23
October 1, 2025. 24