Washington state continued to be a pioneer in the fight to combat human trafficking today by passing legislation that creates a human trafficking information clearing house and activates the former Washington State Task Force on the Trafficking of Persons.

Under Senate Bill 5884, sponsored by Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, D-Seattle, a single point of contact is created within the State Office of Crime Victims Advocacy in the Department of Commerce for advocacy groups and service providers. The clearing house serves as a pool of information so trafficking survivors and citizens have access to the most comprehensive and current information regarding statewide efforts to curb trafficking.

“Creating a clearinghouse of information will result in a more comprehensive approach to fighting this awful and despicable trade,” said Kohl-Welles. “There are many groups working hard to combat human trafficking. With this legislation, it is my hope that they can all put their heads together, share resources and work together as a team to end human trafficking.”

SB 5884 also allows establishments that have public bathrooms to post an informational poster that provides information for victims of trafficking and lists a phone number victims can call if they are in danger or currently being held captive. The poster would contain information in multiple languages.
“Having these posters in public places may give a victim the chance to see that there are resources available to them and that they can get help,” said Kohl-Welles. “It also makes people aware of the issue so that they can report suspicious activities. The creation and placement of the posters would be funded by a private non-profit organization.”

Since 2002, the Washington State Legislature has enacted 38 laws to combat human trafficking and Washington state has been recognized nationally for its work on the issue.

The bill was passed unanimously with a 49-0 vote.