(The Center Square) — Two bills have been filed in the Florida Legislature in advance of the upcoming session that would extend protections for human trafficking victims in court proceedings, including for minors or victims of certain crimes.
The bills filed by state Sen. Danny Burgess, R-Tampa, and state Rep. Taylor Yarkosky, R-Clermont, Senate Bill 1208 and House Bill 1037, respectively, have the support of Attorney General Ashley Moody.
The companion bills would prohibit depositions of individuals, including human trafficking victims, charged with certain crimes in certain circumstances. Human trafficking victims are often called as witnesses in cases brought against their alleged captors and traffickers.
(The Center Square) — Two bills have been filed in the Florida Legislature in advance of the upcoming session that would extend protections for human trafficking victims in court proceedings, including for minors or victims of certain crimes.
The bills filed by state Sen. Danny Burgess, R-Tampa, and state Rep. Taylor Yarkosky, R-Clermont, Senate Bill 1208 and House Bill 1037, respectively, have the support of Attorney General Ashley Moody.
The companion bills would prohibit depositions of individuals, including human trafficking victims, charged with certain crimes in certain circumstances. Human trafficking victims are often called as witnesses in cases brought against their alleged captors and traffickers.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said she works "every day to stop human trafficking in our state, and this session I am advocating for legislation that will further protect victims, as well as help our law enforcement partners bring traffickers to justice."
She said the legislation "will shield victims from unnecessarily reliving traumatic experiences, making it easier for them to come forward and help prosecutors secure convictions for their perpetrators."
They made the announcement after Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd announced a multi-agency task force apprehended over 200 people in a human trafficking operation. Law enforcement officers from multiple agencies arrested more suspects during last month's operation than they'd ever arrested before, Judd said, identifying 24 human trafficking victims, "the highest number of victims we've ever rescued during one of these investigations."
Half of the victims, "14 of these females [were] illegally in this country," Judd said.
Floridians are encouraged to learn how to identify and report human trafficking at YouCanStopHT.com.
