S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   3039
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 2, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M. of A. FAHY -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Transportation
 
 AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to establishing
   a sex trafficking awareness and prevention program
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section  1.  The  vehicle  and  traffic law is amended by adding a new
 section 224-b to read as follows:
   § 224-B. SEX TRAFFICKING AWARENESS AND  PREVENTION  PROGRAM.  (A)  THE
 COMMISSIONER,  IN  CONJUNCTION  WITH THE INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE ON HUMAN
 TRAFFICKING, THE  COMMISSIONER  OF  THE  DIVISION  OF  CRIMINAL  JUSTICE
 SERVICES  AND  THE  COMMISSIONER  OF TRANSPORTATION, SHALL DEVELOP A SEX
 TRAFFICKING AWARENESS AND PREVENTION PROGRAM. THE SEX TRAFFICKING AWARE-
 NESS AND PREVENTION PROGRAM SHALL BE  ESTABLISHED  FOR  THE  PURPOSE  OF
 PROVIDING  EDUCATION AND AWARENESS FOR THE PREVENTION OF SEX TRAFFICKING
 IN THIS STATE. WITHIN AMOUNTS APPROPRIATED, THE  PROGRAM  SHALL  PROVIDE
 EDUCATION  AND  AWARENESS  LITERATURE  AND  EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS TO ALL
 DRIVERS WITH A COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLE LICENSE AS  DEFINED  IN  SECTION
 FIVE HUNDRED ONE-A OF THIS CHAPTER. THE MATERIALS SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT
 BE  LIMITED  TO, WARNING SIGNS OF POTENTIAL SEX TRAFFICKING AND ENTITIES
 TO WHOM A DRIVER MAY REPORT SUSPECTED ACTIVITY THAT MIGHT CONSTITUTE SEX
 TRAFFICKING.  THE COMMISSIONER MAY COORDINATE WITH THE INTERAGENCY  TASK
 FORCE  ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN PROVIDING RELEVANT LITERATURE AND MATERI-
 ALS TO SUCH DRIVERS.
   (B) THE COMMISSIONER MAY ADDITIONALLY COORDINATE WITH THE  INTERAGENCY
 TASK FORCE ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING: (I) TO COLLECT AND ORGANIZE DATA ON THE
 NATURE  AND EXTENT OF TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS IN THE STATE; (II) TO IDEN-
 TIFY AVAILABLE FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL PROGRAMS TO PROVIDE SERVICES  TO
 VICTIMS  OF  TRAFFICKING; (III) TO CONSULT WITH GOVERNMENTAL AND NON-GO-
 VERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS IN  DEVELOPING  RECOMMENDATIONS  TO  STRENGTHEN
 STATE  AND  LOCAL  EFFORTS  TO  PREVENT TRAFFICKING; (IV) TO MEASURE AND
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD04119-01-3
              

 A. 3039                             2
 
 EVALUATE THE STATE'S PROGRESS IN PREVENTING TRAFFICKING, AND PROSECUTING
 PERSONS ENGAGED IN TRAFFICKING; AND (V) TO EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF
 THE SEX TRAFFICKING AWARENESS AND PREVENTION PROGRAM.
   (C) THE COMMISSIONER SHALL REPORT ANNUALLY ON THE PROGRAM'S EFFECTIVE-
 NESS IN ITS ANNUAL REPORT.
   (D)  FOR  PURPOSES  OF  THIS SECTION, "INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE ON HUMAN
 TRAFFICKING" SHALL MEAN THE INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE ON HUMAN  TRAFFICKING
 ESTABLISHED  BY  SECTION  FOUR  HUNDRED  EIGHTY-THREE-EE  OF  THE SOCIAL
 SERVICES LAW.
   (E) TO EFFECTUATE THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE  COMMISSIONER  MAY
 REQUEST  AND SHALL RECEIVE FROM ANY DEPARTMENT, DIVISION, BOARD, BUREAU,
 COMMISSION OR OTHER AGENCY OF THE STATE OR ANY  STATE  PUBLIC  AUTHORITY
 SUCH ASSISTANCE, INFORMATION AND DATA AS WILL ENABLE THE SEX TRAFFICKING
 AWARENESS  AND  PREVENTION  PROGRAM TO PROPERLY CARRY OUT ITS POWERS AND
 DUTIES.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day  after  it  shall
 have  become  a law; provided, however, subdivision (c) of section 224-b
 of the vehicle and traffic law, as added by section  one  of  this  act,
 shall  take  effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have
 become a law. Effective  immediately,  the  addition,  amendment  and/or
 repeal  of  any  rule  or regulation necessary for the implementation of
 this act on its effective date are authorized to be made  and  completed
 on or before such effective date.