SACRAMENTO, CA – Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Bakersfield) released the following statement after her legislation, Senate Bill 1157, the Human Trafficking Prevention and Anti-Money Laundering Act, passed through the Senate Committee on Government Organization.

“Human Trafficking and forced labor have no place in a state like California. As the fifth largest economy in the world, we must do more to protect the workers in California and globally,” said Senator Melissa Hurtado. “Annually, the California government procures over $20 billion in goods and services. In passing Senate Bill 1157, the State of California will be ensuring our procurement system has the same explicit protection standard as the Federal Government has for the last 8 years to prevent human trafficking.”

“There are no easy solutions to preventing human trafficking. However from a policy perspective, national and international experts agree that taking steps to combat trafficking in government procurement contracts can prevent human trafficking before its starts,” stated Professor Stephanie Richard, Director of the Jain Anti-Trafficking Initiative at Loyola Law School during committee testimony. “Based on over 10 years of learning on how to better prevent trafficking before it starts in supply chain, SB 1157 provides specific and detailed guidance to California contractors on concrete actions they must take to ensure goods made for California are produced ethically. This proposed legislation also supports businesses as it is modeled on existing federal standards created almost 10 years ago that companies already have to comply with to receive federal contract.”   

Senate Bill 1157 provides clear definitions of human trafficking and forced labor, guidance on prohibited actions in government contracts, mandates certification of compliance plans by California government contractors and subcontractors, and outlines procedures for addressing potential issues of human trafficking, forced labor, or child labor in supply chains.

Footage of SB 1157 in Committee is viewable here, or at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPUOaeAQDo4

Senate Bill 1157 will next be heard in the Senate Labor, Public Employment & Retirement Committee.

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