SENATE BUDGET AND APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 2814

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  DECEMBER 9, 2024

      The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 2814.

      As amended and reported, this bill requires public transportation employees and motorbus operators of private entities under contract to the New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJT) to provide motorbus regular route service (contracted motorbus operators) to complete a training course on how to handle and respond to suspected human trafficking. 

      Under the bill, as amended, NJT, in consultation with the Commission on Human Trafficking (commission), is required to develop and provide a one-time training course for public transportation employees and contracted motorbus operators on how to handle and respond to suspected human trafficking activities.  Alternatively, NJT, 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.  NJT, in consultation with the commission and the approved nonprofit course provider, if applicable, is required to: (1) establish which employees and contracted motorbus operators are required to attend the one-time training course as a condition of their employment or as a condition of the contract with NJT; (2) review the training course at least every two years; and (3) modify the training course as needed.  Additionally, NJT, at its discretion, may waive the training requirements for a private entity under contract with NJT to provide motorbus regular route service if the private entity requires its motorbus operators to complete an equal or greater training course on the handling and response procedures for suspected human trafficking activities.

      As amended and reported, NJT is responsible for ensuring that all its required employees attend the one-time training course as specified within the bill.  Additionally, each contract entered into after the effective date of this bill between NJT and a private entity to provide motorbus regular route service is required to include a requirement that contracted motorbus operators under the contract attend the one-time training course, unless the requirement is waived by NJT.  NJT is required to make available to public transportation employees and private entities under contract to NJT to provide motorbus regular route service 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.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended this bill to:

      (1)  require motorbus operators of private entities under contract to NJT to provide motorbus regular route service to attend a one-time training course on human trafficking, as developed and provided by NJT;

      (2)  allow NJT the discretion to waive the training requirement for motorbus operators of private entities under contract to NJT to provide motorbus regular route service if the private entity requires its motorbus operators to complete an equal or greater training course on the handling and response procedures for suspected human trafficking activities;

      (3)  require NJT to establish which contracted motorbus operators are required to attend the one-time training course;

      (4)  clarify that NJT is responsible for ensuring all its employees attend the one-time training course.  Prior to this amendment, the bill provided that NJT is responsible for ensuring all employees attend the one-time training course;

      (5)  preclude current contracts between NJT and a private entity to provide motorbus regular route service that were entered into prior to the effective date of this act from the requirements of this bill; and

      (6)  update the bill’s title and synopsis.

FISCAL IMPACT:

      The Office of Legislative Services 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 and employees of some private bus operators 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.