ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Maryland lawmakers are considering a bill to help crack down on human trafficking.
It would require Department of Transportation workers to receive training on identifying and stopping human trafficking.
"The program will be applicable to state employees working at transit stations, airports, port facilities, highway rest stops, as well as employees providing transit service," said Senator Michael A. Jackson, a Democrat from Prince George's, Charles, and Calvert Counties.
Maryland is a uniquely located and populated state with major highways running through it, connected to two major cities.
This makes it ripe for human traffickers to travel through.
Each year more than 100 cases of human trafficking are identified in Maryland, according to the national human trafficking hotline.
"On major interstates exist numerous rest stops, truck stops, and bus stations. The national human trafficking resource center suggests 70% of human trafficking occurs in our truck stops," said Diana Beeson with Turnaround.
The bill would make Department of Transportation workers take training to identify signs of human trafficking.
Adding to the number of people looking for victims or perpetrators.
"Requiring the Maryland Department of Transportation to development or identify and implement a training program to certain transportation sector employees on identifying and recognizing human trafficking could quite literally be a matter of life and death," said Beeson.
This is the third year this bill has been introduced.
Now it's House Bill One, a title given to important legislation for the House of Delegates to pass.
"We do it from a homeland security and a terrorist standpoint: see something, say something. It's the same thing. See something, save someone," said Jackson.
The bill died in committee last year; now supporters are hopeful it passes.
