§ 483-EE — Establishment of interagency task force on human trafficking

* § 483-ee. Establishment of interagency task force on human\ntrafficking. (a) There is established an interagency task force on\ntrafficking in persons, which shall consist of the following members or\ntheir designees: (1) the commissioner of the division of criminal\njustice services; (2) the commissioner of the office of temporary and\ndisability assistance; (3) the commissioner of health; (4) the\ncommissioner of the office of mental health; (5) the commissioner of\nlabor; (6) the commissioner of the office of children and family\nservices; (7) the commissioner of the office of addiction services and\nsupports; (8) the director of the office of victim services; (9) the\nexecutive director of the office for the prevention of domestic\nviolence; (10) the superintendent of the division of state police; (11)\nthe secretary of state; (12) the commissioner of the department of\ntransportation; (13) the commissioner of the department of motor\nvehicles; (14) the executive director of the New York state thruway\nauthority; and the following additional members, who shall be promptly\nappointed by the governor, each for a term of two years, provided that\nsuch person's membership shall continue after such two year term until a\nsuccessor is appointed and provided, further, that a member may be\nreappointed if again recommended in the manner specified in this\nsubdivision: (15) two members, who shall be appointed on the\nrecommendation of the temporary president of the senate; (16) two\nmembers, who shall be appointed on the recommendation of the speaker of\nthe assembly; (17) two members, who shall be appointed on the\nrecommendation of the not-for-profit organization in New York state that\nreceives the largest share of funds, appropriated by and through the\nstate budget, for providing services to victims of human trafficking, as\nshall be identified annually in writing by the director of the budget;\nand (18) one member, who shall be appointed on the recommendation of the\npresident of the New York state bar association; and others as may be\nnecessary to carry out the duties and responsibilities under this\nsection. The task force will be co-chaired by the commissioners of the\ndivision of criminal justice services and the office of temporary and\ndisability assistance, or their designees. It shall meet as often as is\nnecessary, but no less than three times per year, and under\ncircumstances as are appropriate to fulfilling its duties under this\nsection. All members shall be provided with written notice reasonably in\nadvance of each meeting with date, time and location of such meeting.\n (b) The task force shall: (1) collect and organize data on the nature\nand extent of trafficking in persons in the state; (2) identify\navailable federal, state and local programs that provide services to\nvictims of trafficking, including but not limited to case management,\nhousing, health care, mental health counseling, drug addiction screening\nand treatment, language interpretation and translation services, English\nlanguage instruction, job training and placement assistance,\npost-employment services for job retention, and services to assist the\nindividual and any of his or her family members to establish a permanent\nresidence in New York state or the United States; (3) consult with\ngovernmental and non-governmental organizations in developing\nrecommendations to strengthen state and local efforts to prevent\ntrafficking, protect and assist victims of trafficking and prosecute\ntraffickers; (4) establish interagency protocols and collaboration\nbetween federal, state, and local law enforcement, state and\ngovernmental agencies, child welfare agencies, and non-governmental\norganizations; (5) evaluate approaches to increase public awareness\nabout trafficking and make recommendations on such approaches; (6)\nevaluate the effectiveness of training programs on human trafficking\nthat have been designed for law enforcement personnel, criminal defense\nattorneys, social service providers and non-governmental organizations,\nand make recommendations for improving the quality and effectiveness of\nsuch programs; (7) measure and evaluate the progress of the state in\npreventing trafficking, protecting and providing assistance to victims\nof trafficking, and prosecuting persons engaged in trafficking; (8)\nevaluate the use of social media in and its contribution to human\ntrafficking; and (9) convene any subcommittee necessary, provided such\nsubcommittee has at least one of the members appointed by the speaker of\nthe assembly, temporary president of the senate or governor, to consider\nspecific issues, including, but not limited to: federal, state and/or\nlocal cooperation; juveniles and human trafficking; the importance of\ntraining and who should receive such training; how data is compiled and\nshared; and services for and treatment of domestic versus foreign born\nvictims.\n (c) The task force shall report to the governor, the speaker of the\nassembly, the minority leader of the assembly, the temporary president\nof the senate and the minority leader of the senate no less than\nannually, and it shall additionally issue such reports and\nrecommendations as it deems necessary to carry out its duties and\nresponsibilities.\n * NB Repealed September 1, 2027\n