S449

An Act concerning human trafficking and the 2026 FIFA World Cup and appropriating $1 million.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. a. In anticipation of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is scheduled, in part, to take place in New Jersey, there is established the Governor’s Survivor Leader Advisory Council within the Department of Health. The purpose of the council shall be to identify the increased risk of human trafficking crimes, and actions that may be taken by the State prior to and during the 2026 FIFA World Cup to reduce these risks. It shall be the duty of the council to:

(1) evaluate existing law concerning human trafficking, and make recommendations for legislation to be introduced, and guidelines and directives to be issued by the Attorney General to address the potential increase in human trafficking related crimes prior to and during the 2026 FIFA World Cup;

(2) review existing assistance programs and analyze whether there is a need to expand current programs or initiate new programs in order to respond to the increased risk of human trafficking crimes prior to and during the 2026 FIFA World Cup;

(3) promote a coordinated response to the increased risk in human trafficking crimes related to the 2026 FIFA World Cup by public and private resources prior to and during the event; and

(4) prior to and during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, develop mechanisms to increase the public awareness of human trafficking, victim remedies and services, and trafficking prevention including the creation of public awareness signs to inform the State that persons may be trafficked into the State and the United States.

b. The council shall consist of nine members, appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate.

One member of the council shall be a law enforcement officer with experience in working with victims of human trafficking. The law enforcement officer shall be appointed upon the recommendation of the State Troopers Fraternal Association.

Each non-law enforcement officer member shall be appointed upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Coalition Against Human Trafficking and shall:

(1) be a survivor of human trafficking;

(2) have experience with developing or enforcing anti-trafficking policies; or

(3) have experience with providing assistance and services to victims of human trafficking.

The members shall serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed for necessary and reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of their duties to the extent that funds are made available for that purpose.

The council shall organize within 30 days of the appointment of a majority of its members and shall select a chairperson from among its members. The council shall meet at the call of the chairperson; provided however, that the council shall hold at least one meeting every 45 days, during the effective period of this act, with the dates for such meetings to be determined by the chair of the council. At least half of the meetings shall be held without the presence of the law enforcement officer appointed in accordance with this subsection.

The Department of Health shall provide staff support to the council. The council shall be entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of the employees of any State department, board, bureau, commission, agency, or authority, as it may require for the purpose of carrying out its duties under this act. Further, the council may coordinate with non-profit organizations, other states, and the Commission on Human Trafficking established pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2013, c.51 (C.52:17B-237) to develop the report required pursuant to this section.

The council, in consultation with the Attorney General, shall prepare and submit a report to the Governor, and pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-10.1), to the Legislature with its findings and recommendations related to the increased risk of human trafficking related to the 2026 FIFA World Cup no later than 180 days after the enactment of this act.

c. The report shall include, but not be limited to, recommendations on:

(1) best practices the State may implement in order to increase awareness of human trafficking and ways to identify trafficking victims;

(2) information campaigns that raise awareness of the risk of human trafficking at large events, such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup;

(3) the issuance of public service announcements throughout the State prior to and during the 2026 FIFA World Cup to inform soccer fans that persons may be trafficked into the State and the United States prior to and during the event;

(4) the State establishing additional human trafficking hotlines for a period of time prior to and during the 2026 FIFA World Cup;

(5) changes that may be made to State laws related to human trafficking;

(6) guidelines and directives to be issued by the Attorney General concerning the identification of and response by law enforcement and prosecuting agencies to the potential increase in human trafficking related crimes prior to and during the 2026 FIFA World Cup;

(7) engaging State and local organizations to aid with assessing risk and adopting necessary mitigation strategies; and

(8) any other issues the council deems relevant for the prevention of and response to human trafficking during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

d. The council shall develop and determine the language for a public awareness campaign, and the associated signage, concerning the risk of human trafficking related to the 2026 FIFA World Cup that includes the national, 24-hour toll-free hotline telephone service on human trafficking.

e. Any establishment required to display a public awareness sign pursuant to subsection b. of section 2 of P.L.2021, c.3 (C.52:17B-237.1) shall also, in accordance with that section, display the public awareness sign signage related to the 2026 FIFA World Cup developed pursuant to subsection d. of this subsection.

f. The Attorney General shall issue guidelines and directives concerning the identification of and response by law enforcement and prosecuting agencies to the increased risk of human trafficking crimes prior to and during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

2. The Commission on Human Trafficking, established pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2013, c.51 (C.52:17B-237), shall, for a period of three months before, during, and a period of six months after the 2026 FIFA World Cup organize a quorum of the commission’s authorized membership, at such times at the discretion of the commission, to ensure the effective implementation and monitoring of anti-human trafficking measures recommended by the Governor’s Survivor Leader Advisory Council pursuant to section 1 of this act.

3. There is hereby appropriated to the Department of Health from the General Fund of the State the sum of $1,000,000 for the establishment of the Governor’s Survivor Leader Advisory Council in order to effectively carry out its responsibilities pursuant to this act.

4. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire upon the submission of the report as required pursuant to section 1 of this act or one year after the conclusion of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, whichever event shall be later.

STATEMENT

This bill creates the Governor’s Survivor Leader Advisory Council (council) in the Department of Health (department), and appropriates $1 million to the department to support the council. The council consists of nine members, appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate. The bill requires one member of the council to be a law enforcement officer appointed upon the recommendation of the State Troopers Fraternal Association. The remaining members of the council are to be appointed upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Coalition Against Human Trafficking and are required to: (1) be a survivor of human trafficking; (2) have experience with developing or enforcing anti-trafficking policies; or (3) have experience with providing assistance and services to victims of human trafficking. The council is required to hold at least one meeting every 45 days over the duration of the bill’s effective period, with at least half of the meetings to be held without the presence of the law enforcement officer appointed to the council. The bill requires the council to evaluate existing law, review existing programs or create new initiatives, promote a coordinated response, and develop mechanisms to increase public awareness of human trafficking in anticipation of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The council, in consultation with the Attorney General, is responsible for issuing a report to the Governor and Legislature related to anti-trafficking efforts the State may undertake as a host of the 2026 FIFA World Cup no later than 180 days after the enactment of the bill. The bill also requires the council to develop a public awareness campaign, and the associated signage, related to the risk of human trafficking prior to and during the World Cup. Any entity or business which is currently mandated to post human trafficking signs under the law is required to also post the public awareness signage developed under the bill. The bill requires the Attorney General to issue directives to law enforcement and prosecuting agencies in the State related to the identification of and response to the increased risk of human trafficking crimes prior to and during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Finally, the bill requires the Commission on Human Trafficking to meet to ensure the implementation of the council’s legislative recommendations before, during, and after the 2026 FIFA World Cup.