09/27/2008 GAAS:672:08 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Print Version |
Gov. Schwarzenegger Signs Legislation to Further Protect Victims of Human Trafficking
Today, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed legislation
that continues California's
pledge to take action against human trafficking and protect victims of this terrible
human rights violation. AB
2810 by Assemblymember Julia Brownley (D-Santa Monica) grants further
rights to victims of human trafficking and AB
499 by Assemblymember Sandré Swanson (D-Oakland) establishes a pilot
program to provide standardized training curricula on the sexual exploitation
of minors.
"Human trafficking amounts to modern-day slavery and should
be eliminated throughout the world," Governor Schwarzenegger said. "This legislation
is an important step forward because it expands victims rights, provides
further protections and develops training for law enforcement to better assist victims
of these horrific crimes."
In an effort to give victims of human trafficking more
rights, AB 2810 requires that a victim of human trafficking could request, and
upon that request require, that his or her name not become a matter of public
record. The bill also requires law enforcement officials to use due diligence
in identifying human trafficking victims regardless of citizenship status to
ensure that all victims of these terrible crimes are protected.
AB 499 creates a pilot project in Alameda County
with the purpose of developing a comprehensive model to address the needs and effective
treatment of sexually exploited minors. The goal is to divert minors accused of
soliciting an act of prostitution into supervised counseling and treatment programs.
Gov. Schwarzenegger has long been committed to eliminating
the practice of human trafficking and providing protections for victims of
illegal trafficking in California.
This year at the XXVI Annual Border Governor's Conference,
the Governor urged greater cooperation among U.S.-Mexico Border States
to put a stop to this human rights violation and increased awareness through a policy
forum hosted by First Lady Maria Shriver.
In addition to today's
announcement, the Governor has signed legislation to address the injustice of
human trafficking:
- Earlier this year, he signed AB 1278 which prohibits contracts that siphon future wages in exchange for the costs of transporting an individual to the U.S.
- In 2006, he signed a joint statement in with then-Mexican President Vicente Fox committing to cooperate on border security solutions including combating human trafficking along the U.S.-Mexico border.
- In 2006, he signed SB 1569 to extend crucial support services like Medi-Cal and Healthy Families to victims of human trafficking.
- In 2005, he signed legislation establishing human trafficking as a crime and increasing the severity of punishment for those that commit or benefit from this crime. One of the bills, AB 22, made human trafficking in California a felony punishable by up to eight years in state prison.
