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2022 SESSION

22102925D
HOUSE BILL NO. 257
Offered January 12, 2022
Prefiled January 11, 2022
A BILL to direct the Virginia State Crime Commission to convene a stakeholder work group to create a uniform definition of human trafficking.
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Patrons-- Simonds and Murphy
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Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. § 1. That the Virginia State Crime Commission shall convene a stakeholder work group to include state and local representatives from the Department of Criminal Justice Services, including the Sex Trafficking Response Coordinator, the Department of Social Services, the Department of Health, the Department of Juvenile Justice, and the Department of Public Safety and Homeland Security; representatives of the Virginia Indigent Defense Commission and the Virginia Association of Commonwealth's Attorneys; representatives from law-enforcement anti-human trafficking task forces or work groups; representatives from national or local organizations that support victims of human trafficking; survivors of human trafficking; and representatives from any other relevant state or local entities to create a common definition of human trafficking that may be used in the Code of Virginia and recognized by state and local agencies. In creating such common definition of human trafficking, the work group shall also consider and define other forms of trafficking, including labor trafficking, debt bondage, and sex trafficking, and shall analyze the practicability of using common definitions of human trafficking, labor trafficking, debt bondage, and sex trafficking throughout the Code or if different contexts require different definitions. The work group shall report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly by November 1, 2022.