ASSEMBLY HOMELAND SECURITY AND STATE PREPAREDNESS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 1729

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  JANUARY 19, 2023

      The Assembly Homeland Security and State Preparedness Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 1729 with committee amendments.

      As amended and reported by the committee, Assembly Bill No. 1729 requires the Attorney General to address human trafficking related to members of underserved communities.

     Under the amended bill, the Attorney General would be required to allocate and utilize resources in the Department of Law and Public Safety to perform functions designed to address the specific needs and vulnerabilities related to human trafficking which are experienced by members of underserved communities, particularly girls and women of color.

     The bill provides that the responsibilities of the unit would include, but not be limited to:

     (1)   coordinating with the State and municipal and county law enforcement agencies to investigate cases related to human trafficking in underserved communities;

     (2)   coordinating with relevant government entities, including, but not limited to the Victims of Crime Compensation Office and the Commission on Human Trafficking, and community-based organizations to create and administer programs to connect victims to appropriate and effective information and resources; and

     (3)   collecting and maintaining data related to human trafficking cases and trends concerning members of underserved communities.

      This bill was prefiled for introduction in the 2022-2023 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS

      The committee amended the bill to:

      1)   require the Attorney General to allocate and utilize resources in the Department of Law and Public Safety to perform functions designed to address the specific needs and vulnerabilities related to human trafficking which are experienced by members of underserved communities, particularly girls and women of color;

      2)   eliminate the establishment of the Human Trafficking and Underserved Communities Unit in the Division of Criminal Justice;

      3)   change the effective date to immediately; as introduced the effective date was the first day of the fourth month next following enactment; and

      4)   make other clarifying and technical changes.