Two bipartisan bills to combat human trafficking were signed into law by President Trump this month.
The “No Human Trafficking on Our Roads Act” (S. 1532) directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to disqualify from operating a commercial motor vehicle for life an individual who uses such a vehicle in committing a felony involving a severe form of human trafficking.
The other bill, “Combatting Human Trafficking in Commercial Vehicles Act” (S. 1536):
- Directs the DOT to designate an official to:
- Coordinate human trafficking prevention efforts across DOT modal administrations and with other federal agencies, and
- Take into account the unique challenges of combating human trafficking within different transportation modes.
- Expands the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s outreach and education program and DOT’s commercial driver’s license financial assistance program to include activities for the recognition, prevention, and reporting of human trafficking.
- Directs DOT to establish an advisory committee on human trafficking. The committee shall:
- Make recommendations on actions DOT can take to help combat human trafficking, and
- Develop recommended best practices for states and state and local transportation stakeholders in combating human trafficking.