2018 -- S 2805

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LC004670

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2018

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- TRAFFICKING OF PERSONS AND

INVOLUNTARY SERVITUDE

     

     Introduced By: Senators Morgan, Coyne, Raptakis, Goodwin, and Lynch Prata

     Date Introduced: April 05, 2018

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 11-67.1-20 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-67.1 entitled

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"Uniform Act on Prevention of and Remedies for Human Trafficking" is hereby amended to read

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as follows:

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     11-67.1-20. Display of public-awareness sign -- Penalty for failure to display.

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     (a)(1) The Rhode Island department transportation and any Any public or quasi-public

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transportation agency shall display a public-awareness sign that contains the state and national

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human trafficking resource center hotline information in every transportation station, rest area,

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and welcome center in the state that is open to the public.

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     (2) The required public awareness sign must be at least eight and one-half inches by

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eleven inches (8 ½" x 11") in size, must be printed in at least sixteen (16) point type, and must

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state substantially the following in English and Spanish:

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     "If you or someone you know is being forced to engage in an activity and cannot leave,

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whether it is prostitution, housework, farm work, factory work, retail work, restaurant work, or

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other activity, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-373-7888 or text

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INFO or HELP to 233-733 to access help and services. Victims of slavery and human trafficking

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are protected under United States and Rhode Island law.

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     Posted pursuant to chapter 67.1 of title 11."

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     (b) An employer shall display the public-awareness sign described in subsection (a) of

 

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this section in a place that is clearly conspicuous and visible to employees and the public at each

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of the following locations in this state at which the employer has employees:

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     (1) A strip club or other sexually-oriented business;

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     (2) A business entity previously found to be a nuisance for prostitution;

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     (3) A job-recruitment center;

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     (4) A hospital; or

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     (5) An emergency-care provider.

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     (c) The department of labor and training shall impose a fine of three hundred dollars

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($300) per violation on an employer that knowingly fails to comply with subsection (b) of this

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section. The fine shall be the exclusive remedy for failure to comply.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- TRAFFICKING OF PERSONS AND

INVOLUNTARY SERVITUDE

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     This act would provide specific language for signs to be posted at certain establishments

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notifying people of contact information to the national human trafficking resource center and

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delete the provision enabling the department of labor and training to impose fines for failure to

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post signage.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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