ASSEMBLY TRANSPORTATION AND INDEPENDENT AUTHORITIES COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 2115

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  OCTOBER 21, 2024

      The Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 2115. 

      As amended and reported, 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 (corporation), in consultation with the Commission on Human Trafficking (commission), is required to develop and provide a one-time training course for public transportation employees on how to handle and respond to 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, in consultation with the commission and the approved nonprofit course provider, if any, is 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. 

      Under the bill, the corporation is responsible for ensuring that all required employees attend the one-time training course as specified within the bill.  Additionally, the corporation is required to make the training materials for the one-time training course available to public transportation employees. 

      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.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended the bill to:

      (1) clarify that any human trafficking training course is required to be reviewed at least once every two years; and

      (2) make a grammatical correction.