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.
*sb0007*
SENATE BILL 7
R2 5lr0872
(PRE–FILED) CF HB 1
By: Senator M. Jackson
Requested: September 18, 2024
Introduced and read first time: January 8, 2025
Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings
Committee Report: Favorable
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: February 16, 2025
CHAPTER ______
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
2 SENATE BILL 7
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 1
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 2
Article – Transportation 3
2–114. 4
(A) IN THIS SECTION, “TRANSIT SERVICE ” AND “TRANSIT STATION ” HAVE 5
THE MEANINGS STATED IN § 7–101 OF THIS ARTICLE. 6
(B) THIS SECTION APPLIES ONLY TO: 7
(1) AN EMPLOYEE WHO IS : 8
(I) A STATE EMPLOYEE WHO WO RKS AT A TRANSIT STA TION, 9
AIRPORT, PORT FACILITY, OR HIGHWAY REST STOP ; 10
(II) A STATE EMPLOYEE WHO PR OVIDES TRANSIT SERVI CE; OR 11
(III) EMPLOYED UNDER A CONT RACT WITH THE STATE TO 12
PROVIDE TRANSIT SERV ICE; OR 13
(2) AN EMPLOYER OF AN EMP LOYEE DESCRIBED IN I TEM (1) OF THIS 14
SUBSECTION. 15
(C) (1) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL : 16
(I) IN CONSULTATION WITH STAKEHOLDERS , DEVELOP OR 17
IDENTIFY AND IMPLEME NT A TRAINING PROGRA M THAT INCLUDES A CU RRICULUM 18
ON THE IDENTIFICATIO N AND REPORTING OF S USPECTED HUMAN TRAFF ICKING; 19
AND 20
(II) ADMINISTER THE TRAINI NG PROGRAM TO AL L EMPLOYEES 21
AND CONTRACT EMPLOYE ES OF THE DEPARTMENT . 22
(2) THE TRAINING PROGRAM SHALL: 23
(I) INCLUDE A DEFINITION OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING ; AND 24
(II) OFFER GUIDANCE TO EMPLOYEE S AND CONTRACT 25
EMPLOYEES ON THE IDE NTIFICATION OF POTEN TIAL VICTIMS OF HUMA N 26
TRAFFICKING AND PROT OCOLS FOR REPORTING SUSPECTED HUMAN TRAF FICKING. 27
(D) (1) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION , 28
ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 1, 2026, AND EACH JANUARY 1 THEREAFTER , EACH 29 SENATE BILL 7 3
EMPLOYER SHALL CERTI FY TO THE DEPARTMENT THAT ALL T HE EMPLOYER ’S 1
EMPLOYEES HAVE COMPL ETED THE TRAINING PR OGRAM. 2
(2) AN EMPLOYER SHALL PRO VIDE A NEW EMPLOYEE WITH THE 3
TRAINING REQUIRED UN DER THIS SECTION WIT HIN 90 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF 4
HIRE. 5
(E) EACH EMPLOYER , IN CONSULTATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT , SHALL: 6
(1) ESTABLISH A PROCEDURE FOR EMPLOYEES AND CONTRACT 7
EMPLOYEES TO REPORT SUSPECTED INCIDENTS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING TO THE 8
APPROPRIATE LOCAL AG ENCIES, INCLUDING THE DESIGN ATED REGIO NAL 9
NAVIGATOR; AND 10
(2) IMPLEMENT A HUMAN TRA FFICKING PREVENTION POLICY FOR 11
EMPLOYEES AND CONTRACT EMPLOYEES B Y PROVIDING INFORMAT ION ON HOW TO: 12
(I) RECOGNIZE POTENTIAL V ICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAF FICKING; 13
(II) RESPOND TO AN INDIVID UAL WHO MAY BE OR IS A VICTIM 14
OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING ; AND 15
(III) CONNECT AN INDIVIDUAL WHO MAY BE OR IS A V ICTIM OF 16
HUMAN TRAFFICKING WI TH AVAILABLE RESOURC ES. 17
(F) AN EMPLOYER, AN EMPLOYEE , OR A CONTRACT EMPLOYEE MAY NOT BE 18
HELD CIVILLY OR CRIM INALLY LIABLE FOR RE PORTING OR RESPONDING IN GOO D 19
FAITH TO A SUSPECTED INCIDENT OF HUMAN TR AFFICKING. 20
(G) TO THE EXTENT PRACTIC ABLE, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL REQU IRE 21
FREQUENT PUBLIC SERV ICE ANNOUNCEMENTS WI TH SAFETY INFORMATIO N FOR 22
HUMAN TRAFFICKING VI CTIMS TO BE MADE , IN BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH, AT 23
TRANSIT STATIONS , AIRPORTS, PORT FACILITIES, AND HIGHWAY REST STO PS. 24
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 25
October 1, 2025. 26