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STATE OF OKLAHOMA
1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)
HOUSE BILL 1214 By: Jenkins
AS INTRODUCED
An Act relating to human trafficking; enacting the
Justice for Noncitizen Minors and Human Trafficking
Accountability Act of 2025; recognizing findings;
directing the Human Trafficking Response Unit to
submit report; providing information report shall
contain; directing the Attorney General to establish
standards; providing certain duties; directing the
Unit to perform certain task; defining terms;
amending Section 2, Chapter 296, O.S.L. 2022 (74 O.S.
Supp. 2024, Section 18r), which relates to the Human
Trafficking Response Unit; modifying
responsibilities; providing for noncodification;
providing for codification; and providing an
effective date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law not to be
codified in the Oklahoma Statutes reads as follows:
This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Justice for
Noncitizen Minors and Human Trafficking Accountability Act of 2025".
SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law not to be
codified in the Oklahoma Statutes reads as follows:
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The Oklahoma Legislature recognizes and declares the following:
1. Grave injustices and irreparable harm are caused by human
trafficking, particularly to noncitizen minors, who are among the
most vulnerable and exploited individuals in society;
2. Reports have revealed that entities, including certain
nongovernmental organizations, have failed to exercise reasonable
due diligence in the placement of unaccompanied minors, resulting in
their exposure to trafficking, forced labor, and other forms of
abuse;
3. The safety and welfare of minor children, regardless of
citizenship status, is a moral imperative and every effort must be
made to ensure their protection and opportunity to thrive;
4. It is the duty of the Legislature to provide victims of
human trafficking with a pathway to seek justice, including the
tools and evidentiary standards necessary to hold traffickers and
complicit organizations accountable in a court of law;
5. The Legislature will demonstrate leadership and courage in
the fight against human trafficking and set a standard for the
nation in defending the rights of minors who have suffered
unimaginable wrongs; and
6. The Legislature commits to protect the lives and dignity of
noncitizen minors, ensure justice for victims of human trafficking,
and provide the framework through which they may seek redress and
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accountability, thereby affirming Oklahoma's role as a defender of
human rights and a beacon of justice.
SECTION 3. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 18r-1 of Title 74, unless there
is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. Not later than December 31, 2026, the Human Trafficking
Response Unit shall submit a comprehensive report to the Governor,
the President Pro Tempore of the Oklahoma State Senate, the Speaker
of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, the Oklahoma Department of
Libraries, and the transparency portal established pursuant to
Section 34.11.3 of Title 62 of the Oklahoma Statutes. This report
shall:
1. Document, to the fullest extent possible, the number of
minor persons trafficked by organizations that meet the definition
of "minor child trafficking organizations", defined pursuant to
subsection D of this section, or transported through the state by
such organizations, during the period beginning January 20, 2021,
and ending January 20, 2025;
2. Identify and record relevant data on trafficking patterns,
suspected organizations, individual perpetrators, and victims
trafficked within, into, or through the state, ensuring compliance
with privacy protections and de-identification standards; and
3. Provide findings in a manner consistent with evidentiary
standards suitable for future civil legal actions by victims,
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ensuring the admissibility of such data in judicial proceedings
under applicable rules of evidence.
B. The Office of the Attorney General shall establish standards
and methodologies for the collection, validation, and preservation
of data for the report required pursuant to subsection A of this
section, including:
1. Coordinating with state and federal law enforcement
agencies, victim advocacy groups, and other relevant stakeholders to
gather reliable data;
2. Ensuring data is maintained in formats compliant with
evidentiary rules pursuant to the Oklahoma Evidence Code in Title 12
of the Oklahoma Statutes and federal standards for civil litigation;
and
3. Providing guidance and training to agency personnel on
maintaining chain-of-custody procedures for data collection to
preserve its integrity for use in future legal proceedings.
C. To support the preparation of the report described in
subsection A of this section, the Human Trafficking Response Unit
shall seek voluntary cooperation from nongovernmental organizations
and private entities. Such cooperation shall include sharing de-
identified data or other nonconfidential information that may aid in
identifying trends or perpetrators of the trafficking of noncitizen,
minor children.
D. For purposes of this section:
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1. "Minor child trafficking organizations" means any entity,
whether formal or informal, that:
a. engaged in the transport of unaccompanied minors who,
at the time of transport, were not citizens of the
United States of America,
b. facilitated or arranged the placement of such minors
into the custody of individuals or entities without
first performing reasonable due diligence to verify a
prior custodial relationship existed between the minor
and the receiving individual or entity and failed to
ensure the placement complies with applicable state
and federal laws concerning the welfare of minors, and
c. either have a physical nexus in Oklahoma or have
transported the minor into or through the state during
the period described in subsection A of this section;
2. "Minor child" or "minor" means any individual who was not a
citizen of the United States of America and was under the age of
sixteen (16) at the time of the trafficking or placement described
in subsection A of this section;
3. "Reasonable due diligence" means the performance of a
thorough and documented investigation to verify the safety and
suitability of placing a minor with a sponsor, which shall include,
but not be limited to:
a. identity verification, including:
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(1) conducting comprehensive background checks on all
prospective sponsors, including searches for
criminal records, gang affiliations, and other
indications of potential harm to the child, and
(2) requiring official documentation to confirm the
identity of the sponsor,
b. custodial relationship verification, including:
(1) confirming the existence of a prior custodial or
familial relationship between the sponsor and the
minor child, supported by credible evidence such
as birth certificates, legal guardianship
documents, or other verifiable records, and
(2) investigating discrepancies or lack of
documentation through interviews, home visits, or
third-party verification,
c. home and environmental safety assessment, including:
(1) conducting on-site home studies to ensure the
placement location is suitable and free from
conditions that may endanger the minor's welfare,
such as abandoned properties, uninhabitable
structures, or fields with no physical address,
and
(2) ensuring that the sponsor is capable of providing
adequate care and supervision for the minor,
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d. capacity assessment, including ensuring that the
sponsor has not previously taken custody of an
unreasonable number of minors in a manner indicative
of trafficking or exploitation,
e. follow-up procedures, including:
(1) establishing a process for post-placement
monitoring, including mandatory check-ins with
minors and sponsors at regular intervals to
verify the child's safety and well being, and
(2) requiring sponsors to report changes in living
arrangements or custody status within a
designated time frame, and
f. transparency and accountability, including:
(1) documenting all steps taken in the vetting
process, maintaining records in compliance with
state and federal evidence standards to support
potential civil or criminal actions, and
(2) providing clear findings to relevant oversight
authorities when sponsors fail to meet minimum
standards of care.
SECTION 4. AMENDATORY Section 2, Chapter 296, O.S.L.
2022 (74 O.S. Supp. 2024, Section 18r), is amended to read as
follows:
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Section 18r. There is hereby created within the Office of the
Attorney General the Human Trafficking Response Unit, which shall:
1. Maintain data in a central location on human trafficking
that shall be shared with law enforcement, criminal justice
entities, social service agencies, and victim services programs and
document information including, but not limited to, offenders,
locations, victims, types of trafficking, and trafficking
techniques. Provided, however, that any personal identifying
information shall be de-identified using tokens or a similar method
prior to the sharing of data in order to protect individuals'
privacy rights;
2. Develop training programs that address prevention efforts
and best practices on identifying and assisting victims of human
trafficking and support agencies in identifying at-risk environments
for human trafficking;
3. Review current state agency policies to ensure they include
best practices to identify human trafficking victims and encourage
reporting;
4. Create an incentive program to encourage state agencies to
have personnel attend training programs and review policies;
5. Appropriate targeted funding for victim services programs;
and
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6. Publish public service announcements on various media
platforms to educate the public about the dangers of human
trafficking; and
7. Carry out the reporting requirements pursuant to Section 3
of this act.
SECTION 5. This act shall become effective November 1, 2025.
60-1-10990 CMA 01/02/25