Update on 2024 H.T. Legislation - Network Against Human Trafficking and Slavery

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Governor and Secretary of State Sign Proclamation for Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month

On January 11th, Governor Kim Reynolds and Secretary of State Paul Pate signed a proclamation declaring January 2024 as Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month in Iowa. This event was held at the Rotunda of the Iowa State Capitol Building and was organized and sponsored by the Iowa Network Against Human Trafficking and Slavery. Despite the snow and low temperatures, 72 concerned Iowans from across the state attended. The photo shows Lieutenant Governor Adam Gregg and Secretary of State Paul Pate holding the proclamation surrounded by Network Board members. Governor Reynolds signed the proclamation but attended the funeral of Ahmir Jolliff, the sixth grader who was murdered at his school in Perry, Iowa.

Following the proclamation board signing, Outstanding Anti-Trafficking Service Awards were presented to five Iowa heroes. This award honors individuals and organizations that have made remarkable contributions to ending trafficking in Iowa. Next month’s blog will pay tribute to these five Iowa heroes.

Update on 2024 Human Trafficking Legislation

The 2024 Legislative Session is underway, and the legislature just wrapped up their third week of the session with twelve to go! A handful of new human trafficking bills have been introduced while a few are left over from the last session. Several of these have already passed out of subcommittee and are on the move. Here is an update on each bill:

HSB 530 relates to human trafficking including parole and work release and victim counselors, and guardian ad litem appointments for prosecuting witnesses with mental disabilities. The NAHT is monitoring this bill.
HF 594 would exempt murder offenders who are victims of human trafficking from the restitution requirements. The restitution requirement calls for $150,000 to the victim’s estate or their heirs. This bill passed the House Judiciary Committee last year. It was reassigned to a subcommittee and passed both that and the full committee this session. The NAHT is supporting this bill.
SSB 3027 requires a person serving a sentence for a conviction of human trafficking to be classified as a class B felon and must serve a minimum number of years before becoming eligible for parole. The court must decide the parole and work release date at the time of sentencing. It also clarifies the term victim to include “a person subjected to human trafficking.” The NAHT is monitoring this bill.
SSB 3037 was just introduced and gives the Secretary of State the authority to not forward mail to victims of domestic abuse and/or assault, sexual abuse, assault, stalking, human trafficking, and other violent crimes. The mail can go to a separate address, cancel the mail certification, or hold the mail for up to 30 days.
SF 470 is another holdover from the 2023 session. This bill is related to sexual exploitation of a minor, and makes penalties. The NAHT supports this bill.
SF 524 comes from the 2023 session. It extends the statute of limitations in a civil action involving certain sexual offenses against a minor to four years. The NAHT is registered in support this bill.

Update on the Human Trafficking Interim Committee 2024 Recommendations:

The NAHT is eagerly waiting for the Human Trafficking Interim Study Committee to release their report, but it is unclear on whether it will happen as there is not agreement on the recommendations. The first funnel deadline is Feb. 15th, when all bills must be passed through a subcommittee and full committee to continue moving forward. The NAHT has worked for the past four years to try and get a “safe harbor” bill to pass out of the legislature and signed by the Governor. The NAHT is still hopeful that this recommendation will be made by the Interium Study committee. In the meantime, the NAHT is still having conversations with appropriators requesting a $5 million allocation for HT Victim Services. The NAHT is still hopeful that a new H.T. funding appropriation will be recommended by the Interim Study Committee. The budget process will begin in earnest after the March Revenue Estimating Committee meets on March 13th.

Tinsman Appeals to Local Governments & the Public to Help Get Support for Safe Harbor and Funding for Survivors

Maggie Tinsman, chair of the NAHT Legislative Advocacy Committee asked six Eastern Iowa city councils and board of supervisors to adopt proclamations declaring January as Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month.

At the same time, she appealed for help from local elected officials and the public to urge the Iowa Legislature to pass a Safe Harbor Law and an appropriation of $5 million for services for survivors of human trafficking.

The following is a portion of her appeal for help:

The true extent of human trafficking is likely underestimated due to its clandestine nature, the ability to hide it in rural areas, and the reluctance of victims to come forward. Many instances go unreported and victims often live in fear, making it challenging for law enforcement to compile accurate statistics. In 2023, Family Resources, through their organization Braking Traffik in Davenport, served 368 victims, highlighting the pressing need for action. They receive some funds from the federal government, but nothing from the state of Iowa. So, as funds diminish from the federal government, they have to stop serving survivors. For the rest of Tinsman’s appeal, tap here.

Jacqueline White Departs the Position of Human Trafficking Instructor at the LEA and Moves to the Attorney General’s Office

Jacqueline White is the newly hired Training Coordinator for the Office of the Iowa Attorney General, Brenna Bird. Jacque previously served as the Human Trafficking Instructor for the Law Enforcment Academy (LEA). This LEA position job ad was recently posted. In 2017, the NAHT urged the Iowa Legislature to create and fund this LEA Human Trafficking Instructor position. The instructor teaches new officers in the basic academy classes at the LEA and also trains law enforcment throughout Iowa. The NAHT has expressed concerns to the LEA about the changes in the new job description with the addition of tasks such as “instructing various other courses for Basic Academy recruits” and also “other law enforcement topics.” LEA has also changed the job requirements from experience and training in “human trafficking and crime victim trauma.” This has been changed to “prefered” rather than required. The legislature intended this position to be totally or at least primarily focused on human trafficking. The NAHT does not believe that human trafficking is a subject that just anyone should teach. These cases are complex and deserve experience and background in human trafficking and trauma informed care.

In Jacqueline’s new AG position, she will be primarily responsible for training law enforcement on arresting traffickers and identifying human trafficking victims. If your organization, H.T. coalition or community would like to have training, you can contact Jacqueline White at jackie.white@ag.iowa.gov or (515)-725-4109.

American Association of University Women (AAUW) of Iowa Initiates a Human Trafficking Prevention Outreach Project

By: Mary Ann Ahrens, AAUW Iowa Outreach Chair

In April 2023, AAUW Iowa unveiled the Iowa Human Trafficking Prevention Outreach Project (1) to provide a basic understanding and create awareness of human trafficking along with simple actions individuals/organizations can take to build interest and stimulate involvement in prevention within their communities and (2) to encourage continued local/state advocacy for human trafficking issues and stronger legislation to reduce it.

Our organization has existed for 142 years, and its mission continues to be “advancing gender equity through research, education and advocacy”. We promote education, fight for workplace and economic equity and advance women in leadership. Our members (wo/men) are a tenacious and trailblazing group who advocate for women and girls. One of AAUWs longtime priorities has been human trafficking. Our AAUW Iowa State Board selected human trafficking as one of its three priorities to pursue.

Our organization consists of local or area branches and our AAUW eNetwork Online Branch with members all over the state. It also includes national members in Iowa and college-university institutional members. Our AAUW eNetwork Branch took the lead in developing and implementing this project. After board approval of our plans and the receipt of needed state project funding including our own, we continued to work to implement our plan. To learn more about the AAUW human trafficking prevention project and how to connect, tap here.

New Human Trafficking Training for Child Welfare Workers

Last month, the Federal Office on Trafficking in Persons (OTIP) National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Center (NHTTAC) announced two new micro-learnings for frontline professionals who work with children and youth to improve human trafficking screening and safety planning. Because children and youth who have already experienced abuse are at disproportionate risk for trafficking through coercive online and offline schemes, professionals in child welfare and other youth-serving programs are in a position to identify the risks for exploitation early, promote healing, and strengthen resiliency.

Human Trafficking Screening for Child Welfare Professionals provides tips, strategies, and scenarios for screening and documenting children or youth who may have experienced human trafficking. The process involves focused inquiry to evaluate whether a child or youth may have experienced trafficking while missing from care. For child welfare professionals, timely screening is often the first step in identifying children or youth who have experienced or are at risk of trafficking.

Safety Planning and Multidisciplinary Response for Child Welfare Professionals gives an overview of safety planning and the benefits of a multidisciplinary approach to trafficking. Safety planning is a process or intervention used when working with individuals who have experienced violence firsthand or who may be at risk of violence or other harms. Child welfare professionals will learn how to develop a safety plan collaboratively with a child or youth and coordinate a multidisciplinary community response by identifying the gaps based on your assessment.

Each microlearning module will take approximately 30 minutes to complete. Here is a link to the online modules: https://nhttac.acf.hhs.gov/soar/soar-for-individuals/soar-online

Get Your School Involved in My Freedom Day, March on 14th, 2024

My name is Leif Coorlim and I am the executive editor of the Freedom Project on CNN International. We are so excited to partner with Iowa schools for “My Freedom Day” on March 14th, 2024, when we will be holding our 8th annual #MyFreedomDay. Throughout the day, CNN will be featuring stories on child labor trafficking worldwide.

#MyFreedomDay is an opportunity for schools around the world to show their support on behalf of the 10’s of millions of boys and girls trapped in modern slavery. We encourage all Iowans to participate in a day of action to support those working to free them.

The focus of the upcoming campaign is on forced child labor and the children who do not have the opportunity to go to school. Our campaign is called “Little Hands,” and we will be documenting stories of child labor and showing the hands of the children who toil in the mines, fields, and factories around the world.

To show their solidarity and aversion to this form of slavery, we’re encouraging classrooms in every country to post pictures of their students’ hands on social media.

If you’re interested, please fill out this short form to receive updates on the campaign. https://forms.gle/tni3mqbwXiUvLZFr5. The first school in each country to fill out the form will be counted. Participation is free and entirely voluntary. Social media submissions using the hashtags #LittleHands and #MyFreedomDay must be posted by March 1st, to be included on a CNN program.

TV News Clips & Articles

By Dr. George Belitsos on February 1, 2024 / News