The "National Human Trafficking Database Act" aims to combat human trafficking by establishing a national database to collect and disseminate data, enhance prevention efforts, and support survivors, while ensuring confidentiality and protecting their privacy. This act authorizes grants to state agencies for data collection and mandates the creation of a public database on the Department of Justice website, including information on trafficking incidents, anti-trafficking organizations, and high-risk areas.
Marsha Blackburn
Senator
TN
The National Human Trafficking Database Act aims to combat human trafficking by establishing a national database. This database will collect and report data from state agencies, list anti-human trafficking organizations, and identify areas with high and low trafficking rates. The Act prioritizes survivor confidentiality and allocates funding for grants to state agencies and for the database's creation and maintenance. It prohibits using the collected data to make funding decisions and protects survivors' personal information.
Feds to Build National Human Trafficking Database: States Get Funds, Must Report Data by 2025
The "National Human Trafficking Database Act" is setting up a nationwide system to track human trafficking cases, aiming to get a clearer picture of this often-hidden crime. The federal government, specifically the Office for Victims of Crime, will be giving grants to state law enforcement agencies to collect and report data on human trafficking incidents.
Tracking the Trade: What the Database Means
This bill focuses on getting consistent, nationwide data. States receiving these grants have 180 days to figure out how they'll collect and report their numbers, and within a year, they need to start sending in detailed info. This includes the number of prosecutions, calls to human trafficking hotlines, and any related criminal activities (like drug offenses or organized crime) that pop up alongside trafficking cases. Think of it like this: if a local police department busts a drug ring and finds out it's also involved in forcing people into labor or sex work, that connection gets reported. The law defines "human trafficking" to include both labor trafficking and sex trafficking, referencing the definitions in the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (sections 103(11)(B) and 103(11)(A), respectively).
By 18 months after the law is enacted, the Director of the Office for Victims of Crime has to publish a database on the Department of Justice website. This database will include the data reported by states, a list of anti-human trafficking organizations (defined as groups primarily focused on combating human trafficking), and even a ranking of counties with the highest and lowest rates of human trafficking. Starting in fiscal year 2025, states have to update their data every year, and the Director has to keep the database current and report to Congress on its status.
Protecting Survivors, and Potential Pitfalls
The bill emphasizes protecting the privacy of trafficking survivors. Agencies are required to keep personal information confidential when collecting and reporting data. The law also specifically states that the Department of Justice can't use the data in the database to make funding decisions, and it prohibits the DOJ or state agencies from demanding, accessing, or publicizing any personally identifying information about survivors. (SEC. 2)
While the goal is to improve coordination and resource allocation, there are some practical challenges. Collecting this data consistently across different states, each with their own systems, could be tricky. There’s also the risk of either over-reporting (if agencies are too broad in what they classify as trafficking) or under-reporting (if cases slip through the cracks). It will be important to ensure that "human trafficking" is consistently identified and reported.
Funding the Fight
To make this happen, the bill authorizes $50 million per year from 2025 through 2028 for grants to the states, and another $1 million per year for setting up and maintaining the database itself. This money is available until it's spent, meaning it doesn't disappear at the end of each fiscal year.