Bill Text: MI SB0499 | 2013-2014 | 97th Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Law enforcement; other; human trafficking reporting act; create. Creates new act.

Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 10-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-09-17 - Referred To Committee On Families, Seniors And Human Services [SB0499 Detail]

Download: Michigan-2013-SB0499-Introduced.html

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SENATE BILL No. 499

 

 

September 17, 2013, Introduced by Senators ANDERSON, HOPGOOD, ANANICH, JONES, BIEDA, JOHNSON, WHITMER, HUNTER, GREGORY, HOOD and YOUNG and referred to the Committee on Families, Seniors and Human Services.

 

 

 

     A bill to create the human trafficking reporting act; to

 

provide a means of receiving confidential reports of human

 

trafficking; to prescribe the powers and duties of certain state

 

agencies; to require the maintenance of certain records; to provide

 

for confidentiality; to create the human trafficking prevention

 

fund; to provide for disbursements from the fund; and to provide

 

remedies and penalties.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "human

 

trafficking reporting act".

 

     Sec. 2. As used in this act:

 

     (a) "Department" means the department of state police.

 

     (b) "Fund" means the human trafficking prevention fund created

 

in section 5.

 

     (c) "Human trafficking" means a violation of chapter LXVIIA of

 

the Michigan penal code, 1931 PA 328, MCL 750.462a to 750.462j.

 

     Sec. 3. (1) The department shall establish a program for

 

receiving reports and other information from the public regarding

 

human trafficking violations in this state.

 

     (2) The program described in subsection (1) shall provide for

 

a toll-free telephone number for reporting human trafficking

 

violations. The toll-free telephone number shall be available to

 

receive reports and other information regarding human trafficking

 

violations 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The toll-free telephone

 

number shall allow for reports by voice or text messaging.

 

     (3) The program described in subsection (1) shall allow for

 

reports and other information to be made to the department

 

anonymously.

 

     (4) Notwithstanding subsection (3), the program described in

 

subsection (1) shall allow any person making a report under this

 

act to receive a unique code that will allow that person to be

 

identified as having provided information to the department under

 

this act. The code shall allow the department to access all of the

 

information provided to the department by that person upon the

 

request of that person.

 

     (5) The department shall maintain a record of all information

 

provided to the department under this act. All records of the

 

department maintained under this section are official records of

 

the department.

 

     Sec. 4. (1) Any information provided to the department under

 

section 3 that would identify a person as having reported a

 

violation or otherwise provided information to the department under

 

this act is confidential and is not subject to disclosure under the

 

freedom of information act, 1976 PA 442, MCL 15.231 to 15.246.

 

     (2) A person who intentionally discloses information to

 

another person in violation of subsection (1) is guilty of a

 

misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 90 days or

 

a fine of not more than $500.00, or both.

 

     Sec. 5. (1) The human trafficking prevention fund is created

 

within the state treasury.

 

     (2) The state treasurer may receive money or other assets from

 

any source for deposit into the fund. The state treasurer shall

 

direct the investment of the fund. The state treasurer shall credit

 

to the fund interest and earnings from fund investments.

 

     (3) Money in the fund at the close of the fiscal year shall

 

remain in the fund and shall not lapse to the general fund.

 

     (4) The department shall be the administrator of the fund for

 

auditing purposes.

 

     (5) The department shall expend money from the fund, upon

 

appropriation, only for 1 or more of the following purposes:

 

     (a) To create and maintain a program for a toll-free telephone

 

number to report human trafficking violations.

 

     (b) To pay the administrative costs of the department under

 

this act.

 

     (c) To increase awareness of human trafficking and of the

 

ability to report violations to the department as provided in this

 

act.

 

     (d) To train local law enforcement personnel in recognizing

 

human trafficking violations and in enforcing the laws relating to

 

those violations.