LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE
[First Reprint]
ASSEMBLY, No. 2115
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
DATED: DECEMBER 4, 2024
SUMMARY
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Synopsis: |
Requires public transportation employees to complete training course on handling and responding to suspected human trafficking; requires inclusion of certain content in certain courses. |
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Type of Impact: |
Periodic State expenditure increase. |
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Agencies Affected: |
Department of Law and Public Safety; New Jersey Transit Corporation; Department of Health; Administrative Office of the Courts; Department of Community Affairs. |
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Office of Legislative Services Estimate |
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Fiscal Impact |
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Periodic State Expenditure Increase |
Indeterminate |
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· The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) concludes that the bill will result in an indeterminate, one-time increase in expenditures for the State to develop and provide a training course for public transportation employees on handling and responding to suspected human trafficking activities and to include new material in current courses provided to certain groups concerning human trafficking. Periodic State costs would be incurred thereafter to review and update the course and train new employees.
· Training costs are indeterminate due to a lack of information about the structure of the training program, the duration of the training program, and the number of employees who will be subject to the training. Under current law, the Attorney General may provide for the expenditure of monies from the Human Trafficking Survivor’s Assistance Fund to assist with the development and distribution of training course materials and the operation of training courses. If the Attorney General does not provide for the expenditure of monies from the fund or if the fund does not have sufficient funding to fully cover the costs of the training course, the New Jersey Transit Corporation will be responsible for funding the training course materials and operation of the training course.
· The bill may also result in an indeterminate increase in State expenditures to various other State entities to include new material in current courses provided to certain groups concerning human trafficking.
BILL DESCRIPTION
This bill requires public transportation employees to complete a training course on how to handle and respond to suspected human trafficking. Under the bill, the New Jersey Transit Corporation, in consultation with the Commission on Human Trafficking, is required to develop and provide a one-time training course for public transportation employees on the handling and response procedures for suspected human trafficking activities. Alternatively, the corporation, in consultation with the commission, is required to approve a substantially similar one-time training course provided by a recognized nonprofit association with demonstrated experience in providing course offerings to public transportation employees. The corporation and the commission, and the nonprofit association, if applicable, are required to establish which employees are required to attend the one-time training course as a condition of their employment, review the training course at least once every two years, and modify the training course as needed.
The corporation is responsible for ensuring that all required employees attend the one-time training course. Additionally, the corporation is required to make available to public transportation employees the training materials for the one-time training course.
The bill also provides that any human trafficking training courses are required to include, at a minimum, a demonstration of and information regarding known signs and signals that may be used or communicated by victims of human trafficking seeking assistance or may be observed by individuals in public spaces.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
None received.
OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES
The OLS concludes that the bill will result in an indeterminate, one-time increase in expenditures for the State to develop and provide a training course for public transportation employees on handling and responding to suspected human trafficking activities. Periodic State costs would be incurred thereafter to review and update the course and train new employees.
Training costs are indeterminate due to a lack of information about the structure of the training program, the duration of the training program, and the number of employees who will be subject to the training. Under current law, the Attorney General may provide for the expenditure of monies from the Human Trafficking Survivor’s Assistance Fund to assist with the development and distribution of training course materials and the operation of training courses. If the Attorney General does not provide for the expenditure of monies from the fund or if the fund does not have sufficient funding to fully cover the cost of the training course, the New Jersey Transit Corporation will be responsible for funding the training course materials and operating the training course.
The OLS also notes the required training may result in overtime costs for the corporation. The training will likely take place during work hours and there may be a possible State expenditure increase to pay the salaries of public transportation employees while they attend the training course and to require the employees to attend the course instead of completing their normal job responsibilities. There are roughly 12,000 public transportation employees in the State and the duration of the training course is unknown. However, assuming the training course lasts one hour, the State will be responsible for paying public transportation employees a total of 12,000 hours at varying salary levels to attend the course.
The bill may also result in an indeterminate increase in State expenditures to various other State entities to include new material in current courses provided to certain groups concerning human trafficking.
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Section: |
Authorities, Utilities, Transportation and Communications |
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Analyst: |
Associate Fiscal Analyst |
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Approved: |
Thomas Koenig Legislative Budget and Finance Officer |
This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.
This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67 (C.52:13B-6 et seq.).