STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 1727

with Assembly Floor Amendments

(Proposed by Assemblywoman SPEIGHT)

ADOPTED: MARCH 24, 2022

      Assembly Bill No. 1727 establishes a pilot program in certain municipalities to make grants available to non-profit organizations to perform outreach and provide services to victims of human trafficking.

      These Assembly amendments remove provisions of the bill that would require the Department of Law and Public Safety to establish a three-year pilot program in certain municipalities. 

      The Assembly amendments provide that the Attorney General is to utilize the resources of the department to perform outreach in the community and deliver services to victims of human trafficking in conjunction with other governmental entities, through such means as the Attorney General deems appropriate. 

      In addition, the Assembly amendments authorize the Attorney General to establish, within the limits of available funds, a pilot program to award grants to service providers to perform outreach and deliver services to victims of human trafficking in urban municipalities with the highest crime index in this State and in municipalities located near major maritime transportation hubs. 

      The Assembly amendments provide that upon completion, any pilot program is to be evaluated to determine the effectiveness of the pilot program, with a recommendation as to whether the pilot program should be continued, expanded, or made permanent. 

      Finally, the Assembly amendments revise the title and synopsis of the bill to reflect the Assembly amendments.