HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3093        FILED ON: 1/20/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3458

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Steven Ultrino

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to human trafficking awareness.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Steven Ultrino

33rd Middlesex

1/19/2023

Patrick M. O'Connor

First Plymouth and Norfolk

2/10/2023

David Allen Robertson

19th Middlesex

2/21/2023

Bruce E. Tarr

First Essex and Middlesex

4/4/2023


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3093        FILED ON: 1/20/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3458

By Representative Ultrino of Malden, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3458) of Steven Ultrino, Patrick M. O'Connor and David Allen Robertson for legislation to require the Department of Transportation to post signs in highway rest stops and MBTA stations and vehicles alerting the public to the National Human Trafficking Hotline.  Transportation.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

_______________

 

An Act relative to human trafficking awareness.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Chapter 6C of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting at the end of Section 31 the following:-

Section 31A. The office of planning and programming shall provide a sample sign, to be approved by the general manager.  Such sign shall be not less than eight and one-half inches high and eleven inches wide containing the following notice:

“WARNING.  Obtaining forced labor or services is a crime under Massachusetts law.  If you or someone you know is being forced to engage in any activity and cannot leave – whether it is commercial sex, housework, farm work or any other activity – call the National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-7888.  You can remain anonymous, and the Hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”

Such notice shall be provided in English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Portuguese, and any other language as recommended by the office of planning and programming, whereby the English notice must cover at least one-half of the sign, to display in all state highway and mass transit facilities and vehicles that are open to the public, including restrooms, in a conspicuous manner clearly visible to the public and employees.

(b) The office of planning and programming shall periodically, and at least annually, consult with the attorney general as to whether a sample sign pursuant to subsection (a) shall be provided in any other language.