PART II. HUMAN TRAFFICKING PREVENTION COMMISSION

AND ADVISORY BOARD

§2165. Louisiana Human Trafficking Prevention Commission

            A. The Louisiana Human Trafficking Prevention Commission is hereby created within the office of the governor and placed within the office of human trafficking prevention.

            B. The commission shall do the following:

            (1) Assist state and local leaders in developing and coordinating human trafficking prevention programs.

            (2) Conduct a continuing comprehensive review of all existing public and private human trafficking victim assistance programs to identify gaps in prevention and intervention services.

            (3) Increase coordination among public and private programs to strengthen prevention and intervention services.

            (4) Make recommendations with respect to human trafficking prevention and intervention.

            (5) Develop a state needs assessment and a comprehensive and integrated service delivery approach that meets the needs of all human trafficking victims.

            (6) Establish a method to transition human trafficking victim assistance service providers toward evidence-based national best practices focusing on outreach and prevention.

            (7) Develop a plan that ensures that Louisiana laws on human trafficking are properly implemented and provide training to law enforcement, the judiciary, and service providers.

            (8) Review the statutory response to human trafficking, analyze the impact and effectiveness of strategies contained in Louisiana law, and make recommendations on legislation to further anti-trafficking efforts.

            (9) Develop mechanisms to promote public awareness of human trafficking, including promotion of the national twenty-four-hour toll-free hotline telephone service on human trafficking.

            (10) Promote training courses and other educational materials for use by persons required to undergo training on the handling of, and response procedures for, suspected human trafficking activities.

            (11) Develop a framework to collect and integrate data and measure program outcomes.

            (12) Receive reports and recommendations from the Human Trafficking Prevention Commission Advisory Board.

            (13) Do all other things reasonably necessary to accomplish the purposes for which the commission is created.

            C. In order to carry out its purposes and functions, the commission may request data and assistance from state departments and agencies. When the commission requests a state department or agency to provide needed data or assistance, the department or agency shall give priority to the request and shall provide the data or assistance as requested. The commission shall maintain the confidentiality of any information or records provided to it by state departments and agencies, as required by laws relative to such information and records.

            D. The commission shall annually issue a report of its findings and recommendations to the governor, the speaker of the House of Representatives, and the president of the Senate. The commission shall issue its initial report on or before February 1, 2018, and shall issue annual reports no later than the first day of February each year thereafter. The report may include any recommendations for legislation that the commission deems necessary and appropriate. Legislation may be recommended by the commission only upon approval by a two-thirds vote of the commission members present.

            Acts 2017, No. 181, §1, eff. June 12, 2017; Acts 2021, No. 352, §2, eff. June 17, 2021.