S-1077.4

SENATE BILL 5883


State of Washington	64th Legislature	2015 Regular Session

By Senators Kohl-Welles, Padden, Keiser, Conway, Chase, and Hasegawa

Read first time 02/09/15. Referred to Committee on Law & Justice.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The legislature has long been committed to increasing access to support services for human trafficking victims and promoting awareness of human trafficking throughout Washington state. In light of the 2010 winter olympics taking place in Vancouver, British Columbia, the legislature enacted RCW 47.38.080, permitting an approved nonprofit to place informational human trafficking posters in restrooms located in rest areas along Interstate 5. Sporting events, such as the winter olympics or the upcoming 2015 United States open golf tournament at Chambers Bay, provide lucrative opportunities for human traffickers to exploit adults and children for labor and sexual services. The legislature finds that an effective way to combat human trafficking is to increase awareness of human trafficking for both victims and the general public alike as well as who and how to contact for help and support services, for both victims and the general public alike.

(2) Human trafficking data are primarily obtained through a hotline reporting system in which victims and witnesses can report cases of human trafficking over the phone. Since 2007, there have been one thousand eight hundred fifty human trafficking calls made through the human trafficking victim hotline system in Washington state, and a total of four hundred thirty-two human trafficking cases reported. It is the intent of the legislature to facilitate an even wider scope of communication with human trafficking victims and witnesses by requiring human trafficking information to be posted in all public restrooms.

(1) Every establishment that maintains restrooms for use by the public must, upon availability of the model notice as described in subsection (2) of this section, post a notice that complies with the requirements of this section in a conspicuous place within all restrooms of the establishment in clear view of the public and employees. Establishments may work with human trafficking victim advocates to adopt policies for the placement of such notices.

(2)(a) The model notice to be posted pursuant to subsection (1) of this section may be in a variety of languages and include toll-free telephone numbers a person may call for assistance, including the number for the national human trafficking resource center and the number for the Washington state office of crime victims advocacy.

(b) The office of crime victims advocacy shall review and approve the initial form and content of the model notice to ensure the notice is appropriate for public display and likely to be an effective communication to reach human trafficking victims. The office of crime victims advocacy shall review the model notice on a yearly basis to ensure the information provided remains accurate.