Sec. 46a-170. Trafficking in Persons Council. Membership. Duties. Reports. - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 46a-170. Trafficking in Persons Council. Membership. Duties. Reports. (a) There is established a Trafficking in Persons Council that shall be within the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women for administrative purposes only.

      (b) The council shall consist of the following members: The Attorney General, the Chief State's Attorney, the Chief Public Defender, the Commissioner of Public Safety, the Labor Commissioner, the Commissioner of Social Services, the Commissioner of Public Health, the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services, the Commissioner of Children and Families, the Child Advocate, the Victim Advocate, the chairperson of the Commission on Children, the chairperson of the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women, the chairperson of the Latino and Puerto Rican Affairs Commission, the chairperson of the African-American Affairs Commission, three representatives of the Judicial Branch appointed by the Chief Court Administrator, one of whom shall represent the Office of Victim Services and one of whom shall represent the Court Support Services Division, and a municipal police chief appointed by the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association, or a representative of any such member who has been designated in writing by such member to serve as such member's representative, and seven public members appointed as follows: The Governor shall appoint one member who shall represent Connecticut Sexual Assault Crisis Services, Inc., the president pro tempore of the Senate shall appoint one member who shall represent an organization that provides civil legal services to low-income individuals, the speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint one member who shall represent the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence, the majority leader of the Senate shall appoint one member who shall represent an organization that deals with behavioral health needs of women and children, the majority leader of the House of Representatives shall appoint one member who shall represent an organization that advocates on social justice and human rights issues, the minority leader of the Senate shall appoint one member who shall represent the Connecticut Immigrant and Refugee Coalition, and the minority leader of the House of Representatives shall appoint one member who shall represent the Asian-American community.

      (c) The chairperson of the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women shall serve as chairperson of the council. The members of the council shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.

      (d) The council shall: (1) Hold meetings to provide updates and progress reports, (2) identify criteria for providing services to adult trafficking victims, (3) identify criteria for providing services to children of trafficking victims, and (4) consult with governmental and nongovernmental organizations in developing recommendations to strengthen state and local efforts to prevent trafficking, protect and assist victims of trafficking and prosecute traffickers. The council shall meet at least three times per year.

      (e) The council may request data and other information from state and local agencies to carry out its duties under this section.

      (f) Not later than January 1, 2008, and annually thereafter, the council shall submit a report of its activities, including any recommendations for legislation, to the General Assembly in accordance with section 11-4a.

      (g) For the purposes of this section, "trafficking" means all acts involved in the recruitment, abduction, transport, harboring, transfer, sale or receipt of persons, within national or across international borders, through force, coercion, fraud or deception, to place persons in situations of slavery or slavery-like conditions, forced labor or services, such as forced prostitution or sexual services, domestic servitude, bonded sweatshop labor or other debt bondage.

      (P.A. 07-107, S. 1.)

      History: P.A. 07-107 effective June 11, 2007.

      See Sec. 4-38f for definition of "administrative purposes only".