New law will fight trafficking

The Justice for Victims of Traf ficking Act (JVTA) is headed to the president's desk for his signature after it swept through the House May 20 by an overwhelming bipar tisan vote of 420 3. The bill passed the Senate unanimously in April.

Human trafficking is particu larly pronounced in larger, urban counties, although it is also found in scattered rural communities.

The new law would provide a number of resources for counties including:

• domestic Trafficking Victims' Fund, with awards to states and local governments to combat traf ficking, provide protection and assistance for victims of trafficking, develop and implement child abuse investigation and prosecution programs and provide services for victims of child pornography
• program of three-year re newable block grants that may be used to establish or enhance specialized training programs to identify victims and acts of child human trafficking and facilitate the rescue of child victims for law enforcement officers, first responders, health care and child welfare officials, juvenile justice personnel, prosecutors and judi cial personnel. Also would fund anti-trafficking law enforcement units and problem-solving court programs for trafficking victims
• requires that state missing child reports include a recent photograph of the child and noti fication to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children of each child reported missing from foster care or childcare institution.
• requires the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to operate a Cyber Crimes Center to provide investigative assistance, training and equipment to sup port domestic and international investigations by Immigration and Customs Enforcement of cyber-related crimes which shall: coordinate all ICE child exploita tion initiatives; focus on child exploitation prevention; provide training and technical expertise to law enforcement, among other items.

A 2014 NACo survey concluded that 86 percent of counties with populations greater than 250,000 considered sex trafficking a prob lem. Fifty-five percent of counties with a population greater than 250,000, have county programs focused on reducing human traf ficking. These types of programs are commonly run by a combina tion of county agencies such as the sheriff 's office, family services and prosecutor's office among others. The JVTA would enable continuation of county human trafficking programs through the new grants established under the act.

NACo policy supports "in creased Department of Justice (DOJ) funding for grants to state and local governments to combat child sex trafficking and assist its victims including funding for victim-centered services, law enforcement, training and multi-agency collaborations." NACo sent a letter to House leadership in mid-May to voice its support and urge swift passage of the measure. NACo members are encouraged to thank their federal legislators for passing the JVTA.

The measure was introduced in the Senate by Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and in the House by Rep. Ted Poe (R-Texas).

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