ASSEMBLY HOMELAND SECURITY AND STATE PREPAREDNESS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 5501

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  JUNE 9, 2021

      The Assembly Homeland Security and State Preparedness Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 5501.

      As reported by the committee, Assembly Bill No. 5501 requires the Attorney General to establish a unit to address human trafficking related to members of underserved communities.

      Under the bill, the Attorney General would be required to establish in the Division of Criminal Justice in the Department of Law and Public Safety a unit to be known as the “Human Trafficking and Underserved Communities Unit.” The purpose of the unit would be to address the specific needs and vulnerabilities related to human trafficking which are experienced by members of underserved communities, particularly girls and women of color.

      The bill provides that the responsibilities of the unit would include, but not be limited to:

      (1)  coordinating with the Division of State Police and municipal and county law enforcement agencies to investigate cases related to human trafficking in underserved communities;

      (2)  coordinating with relevant government entities, including, but not limited to the Victims of Crime Compensation Office, the Commission on Human Trafficking, and community-based organizations to create and administer programs to connect victims to appropriate and effective information and resources; and

      (3)  collecting and maintaining data related to human trafficking cases and trends concerning members of underserved communities.