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A bill to be entitled

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An act relating to human trafficking; creating within the

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Executive Office of the Governor the Florida Statewide

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Task Force on Human Trafficking; prescribing the

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membership of the task force; inviting participation by

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agencies of the United States Government; providing for

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meetings; requiring that the first hearing be conducted by

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a specified date; providing for a quorum; providing that

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meetings and records of the task force are subject to

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public-meetings and open-records requirements; providing

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for members of the task force to be reimbursed for per

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diem and travel expenses; requiring that the certain

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specified agencies provide staff support; providing

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specific responsibilities and duties of the task force;

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requiring that the task force file preliminary and final

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reports and recommendations with the Governor and the

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Legislature; requiring cooperation by state agencies;

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abolishing the task force on a specified date; providing

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an effective date.

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     WHEREAS, the trafficking in persons across and within

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borders is a modern form of slavery, and it is the largest

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manifestation of slavery today, and

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     WHEREAS, annually, thousands of persons, primarily women and

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children, are trafficked within or across international borders,

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and

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     WHEREAS, approximately 50,000 men, women, and children are

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trafficked into the United States each year, and

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     WHEREAS, trafficking in persons is not limited to the sex

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industry, but also includes forced labor with significant

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violations of labor, public health, and human rights standards

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worldwide, and

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     WHEREAS, traffickers primarily target women and girls, who

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are disproportionately affected by poverty, a lack of access to

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education, chronic unemployment, discrimination, and the lack of

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economic opportunities in their countries of origin, and

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     WHEREAS, there are not adequate services and facilities to

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meet the needs of trafficking victims regarding health care,

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housing, education, and legal assistance, and which safely

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reintegrate trafficking victims into their home countries, NOW,

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THEREFORE,

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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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     Section 1. Florida Statewide Task Force on Human

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Trafficking.--

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     (1) The Legislature declares that the purpose of this act

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is to create a public and private task force to examine and

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analyze the problem of human trafficking and to plan for a

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coordinated, humane response for victims of human trafficking

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through a review of existing programs, a clarification of

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existing options for such victims, a clearinghouse for

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coordinated efforts to help persons in need, and revised policy

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efforts to coordinate governmental and private efforts.

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     (2)(a) There is created within the Executive Office of the

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Governor the Florida Statewide Task Force on Human Trafficking, a

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task force as defined in s. 20.03, Florida Statutes. The task

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force is created for the express purpose of examining the problem

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of human trafficking and recommending strategies and actions for

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reducing or eliminating the unlawful trafficking of men, women,

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and children into this state.

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     (b) The task force shall consist of the following members,

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or a designee:

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     1. The executive director of the Department of Law

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Enforcement, who shall serve as co-chair.

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     2. The Secretary of Children and Family Services, who shall

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serve as co-chair.

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     3. The Chief Financial Officer.

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     4. The Secretary of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

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     5. The Attorney General.

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     6. The Secretary of Health.

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     7. The director of the Agency for Workforce Innovation.

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     8. The Secretary of Community Affairs.

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     9. A state attorney.

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     10. A public defender.

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     11. A sheriff.

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     12. A police chief.

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     13. A representative of the Florida League of Cities.

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     14. A representative of the Florida Association of

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Counties.

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     15. Eleven members representing governmental and

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nongovernmental organizations that provide direct services and

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assistance to the victims of human trafficking, such as refugee

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assistance organizations, immigration legal services, faith-based

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organizations, domestic and sexual violence centers, community

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mental health centers, labor organizations, and county health

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units.

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     (c) The Governor shall appoint the task force members

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described in subparagraphs (b)9.-15., by July 1, 2008. The

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appointees must be representative of the geographic regions and

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ethnic and gender diversity of this state and, to the extent

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possible, members of the task force, or their designee, must have

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experience providing services to trafficked persons or have

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knowledge of human trafficking issues.

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     (d) The Governor may invite persons representing agencies

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of the Federal Government to serve as nonvoting ex officio

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members of the task force. The federal agencies that may

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participate include, but are not limited to, the Federal Bureau

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of Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security, the

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Department of Labor, the Department of Justice, and the Bureau of

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Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

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     (e) The first meeting of the task force must be by

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September 15, 2008. All actions of the task force, including

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recommendations, shall be made by majority vote. Thirteen members

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constitute a quorum.

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     (f) The task force shall meet at the call of the chairs and

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shall conduct at least three public meetings in the state. The

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meetings must be held in localities throughout this state which

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may be a significant portals for traffickers to bring victims

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into this state. Meetings of the task force are open to the

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public and are subject to the requirements of chapter 286,

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Florida Statutes. Records of the task force are public records

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and subject to the requirements of chapter 119, Florida Statutes,

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except to the extent that public access to any of those records

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may be restricted pursuant to chapter 119, Florida Statutes.

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     (g) Members of the task force shall serve without

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compensation, but are entitled to reimbursement for per diem and

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travel expenses in accordance with s. 112.061, Florida Statutes.

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     (h) The Department of Law Enforcement, the Department of

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Health, and the Department of Children and Family Services shall

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provide staff support for the task force within existing

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appropriations.

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     (3) The task force shall carry out the following

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activities:

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     (a) Collect and organize data concerning the nature and

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extent of trafficking in persons in Florida and measure and

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evaluate the progress in the state in preventing trafficking,

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protecting and providing assistance to victims of trafficking,

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and prosecuting persons engaged in trafficking activities;

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     (b) Identify available federal, state, and local programs

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that provide services to victims of trafficking which include,

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but are not limited to health care, human services, housing,

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education, legal assistance, job training or preparation,

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interpreting services, English as a Second Language classes, and

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victim's compensation;

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     (c) Evaluate approaches to increase public awareness of

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trafficking, particularly the risks of becoming a trafficking

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victim; the common recruitment techniques; the use of debt

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bondage, blackmail, forced labor and services, prostitution, and

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other coercive tactics; the crime victims' rights; and the

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reporting of recruitment activities involved in trafficking;

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     (d) Analyze the current state, local, and federal criminal

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statutes for their adequacy in addressing trafficking and, if the

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analysis determines that those statutes are inadequate, recommend

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revisions to those statutes or the enactment of new statutes that

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specifically define and address trafficking;

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     (e) Consult with governmental and nongovernmental

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organizations, especially those specializing in stopping

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trafficking or representing diverse communities

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disproportionately affected by trafficking, in developing

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recommendations to strengthen state and local efforts to prevent

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trafficking, protect and assist victims of trafficking, and

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prosecute traffickers; and

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     (f) Explore any other subject that is relevant to reducing

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or eliminating the risks of unlawful trafficking of human beings

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in this state and protecting victims of the trafficking.

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     (4) The task force shall submit a preliminary draft report

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of its findings and recommendations to the Governor, the

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President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of

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Representatives by July 1, 2009. The final report shall be filed

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with the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker

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of the House of Representatives by October 1, 2009. In addition

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to the findings and recommendations included in the final report,

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the report must include a draft of proposed rules and proposed

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legislation for any recommendations requiring a change in rules

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or legislation.

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     (5) Each state agency shall fully cooperate with the task

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force in the performance of its duties.

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     (6) All meetings of the task force and all business of the

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task force for which reimbursement may be requested shall be

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concluded before the final report is filed.

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     (7) The task force is abolished on July 1, 2010.

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     Section 2.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.