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SB2841
THE SENATE
S.B. NO.
2841
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026
STATE OF HAWAII
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating
to human trafficking
.
BE IT ENACTED BY
THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
����
SECTION
1.
�
Chapter
28
,
Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to
part
XIII to
be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
����
"
�
28
-
�
H
uman
trafficking awareness
training program
;
transient
accommodations sector.
�
No later than ,
t
he department
of the attorney general
shall
develop
a human trafficking awareness training
program for the purpose of educating and training
workers in the transient accommodations sector.
�
The training program
shall include but not be limited to
the following components
:
����
(1)
�
D
efinition
s
of human trafficking and
the
commercial exploitation of children;
����
(
2
)
�
Explanation
of the
d
ifferences between labor
trafficking
and sex trafficking
,
as they relate to the
transient accommodations sector;
����
(
3
)
�
Guidance on
indicators
of human
trafficking
, including identifying:
���������
(A)
�
I
ndividuals
who may be vulnerable to or victims of human
trafficking;
and
���������
(B)
�
Individuals
who may be engaged in
human
trafficking
activity
;
����
(5)
�
Guidance on the
appropriate response and reporting procedures for
transient
accommodations
workers when indicators of human trafficking
are observed
; and
����
(6)
�
C
ontact information for
:
���������
(A)
�
T
he
National Human Trafficking Hotline toll‑free number and text line
;
and
���������
(B)
�
Appropriate
local law enforcement agenc
ies
.
����
(b)
�
For the
purposes of this section, "
transient accommodations" has the same meaning as defined in section
237D‑1.
"
����
SECTION
2
.
�
Chapter
371
,
Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately
designated and to read as follows:
����
"
�
371-
�
Human
trafficking awareness; transient accommodations sector; training; records; signage;
reporting; penalties.
�
(a)
�
E
very transient accommodations
employer shall provide human trafficking awareness training
developed pursuant to section 28-
to its employees
and contract workers w
ithin one hundred eighty days of employment
or placement, as applicable,
and at least every two years thereafter.
����
(
b
)
�
Each
transient accommodations employer providing human trafficking awareness
training under this section shall maintain records
documenting
the completion of the
required
training by its employees
and contract workers pursuant to rules adopted by
the department.
�
The director or the director
'
s
authorized representative shall
,
for the purpose of
examination
,
have access to and the right to copy the
records.
�
Every
transient accommodations employer shall furnish to the director or the director
'
s
authorized representative any information relating to the
training of
employees and
contract
workers
pursuant to this section
in any manner as the director may prescribe
.
����
(c)
�
No later than
, every transient
accommodations employer shall post
and keep posted in
a
conspicuous
place readily accessible to its employees and contract workers signage
regarding
human trafficking awareness
in a form prescribed
by the department by rule; provided that the signage shall be printed in an
easily legible font
in English and any other language spoken by at least
ten per cent of
its
employees
and contract workers
.
����
(
d
)
�
No later than ,
every transient accommodations employer shall
develop and implement
a h
uman trafficking prevention policy
that shall:
����
(1)
�
A
pply
to all
of its individuals in
employ
and contract workers; and
����
(2)
�
Include
p
rocedures for the reporting of suspected human trafficking to the
National Human Trafficking Hotline or to a local law enforcement agency
.
����
(
e
)
�
A transient accommodations
employer
or its employee or
contract worker
who
in good faith
complies with this
section
or
reports suspected human trafficking pursuant to policies adopted pursuant this
section shall not
be
subject to civil or criminal liability for any
act
or omission arising out of or related to human trafficking committed by a third
party
,
unless the
employer,
employee,
or
worker
knowingly assists
in
the
commission of human trafficking.
����
(
f
)
�
Any
transient
accommodations
employer who
violates
this section shall be fined not
more than $
for each separate offense.
�
Each day the
violation continues shall constitute a separate offense.
�
Any action taken to impose or collect the
penalty provided for in this subsection shall be considered a civil action.
����
(g)
�
The department shall
,
in consultation with the department of the attorney general,
adopt rules
pursuant to chapter 91
necessary to carry out the purposes of this
section.
����
(
h
)
�
For purposes of this section:
����
"
Contract
worker" means an individual employed by a
transient accommodations third-party contractor
who, pursuant to
a contract for services with a transient
accommodations employer, has contact with guests or access to guest rooms of
the transient accommodations.
����
"
E
mployee"
means an individual employed by a transient accommodations employer who has
contact with guests or access to guest rooms of the transient accommodations.
����
"Transient
accommodations"
has the same meaning as defined in section
237D-1.
����
"Transient
accommodations employer" means an employer that owns, operates, manages,
or controls transient accommodations located in the State, and:
����
(1)
�
Employs
one or more employees; or
����
(2)
�
Contracts
with a transient accommodations third‑party contractor for the services
of one or more contract workers.
����
"
Transient
accommodations third-party contractor
" means any person who, for a fee
or other valuable consideration exacted, charged, or received, furnishes or
supplies contract workers for placement with a transient accommodations employers
upon request.
"
����
SECTION
3.
�
New statutory material is
underscored.
����
SECTION
4.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
INTRODUCED BY:
_____________________________
Report Title:
AG;
DLIR;
Human Trafficking Awareness; Transient Accommodations
Sector
; Training; Signage; Reporting;
Penalties; Rules
Description:
Requires
the D
epartment of the
A
ttorney
G
eneral
to
develop a
H
uman
T
rafficking
A
wareness
T
raining
P
rogram
to
educat
e
and train workers in the transient accommodations sector.
�
Requires
transient accommodations employers
to
periodically p
rovide
the
human trafficking awareness training
to
certain
employees
and contract workers
; keep records of the training; post signage; and
develop and implement
a
human trafficking prevention policy that
includes
procedures for the reporting of suspected human trafficking.
�
Establishes penalties.
�
Requires the
Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to adopt rules.
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not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.