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State Rep. Ann Williams, D-Chicago, is the House sponsor of
Senate Bill 2323. Williams said the Department of Human Services
worked with the Illinois State Police in 2023 to form a working
group with more than 60 stakeholders and state agencies.
Williams said the legislation is a comprehensive look at the
human trafficking issue, based on the working group’s
recommendations.
Williams told state Rep. Ryan Spain, R-Peoria, that human
trafficking survivors participated with stakeholders in the
group.
“Credit really goes to the people who have been working
tirelessly on this, and I have to also point out that state
police has really prioritized that in terms of their legislative
agenda,” Williams said.
The Illinois House Executive Committee passed SB 2323 Wednesday,
with all 11 members present voting in favor. Spain asked to be
added as a co-sponsor. The Senate previously approved the
measure with bipartisan support.
The bill places DCFS in charge of initiating prevention efforts
and coordinating services.
The measure also calls for state police to develop a plan to
improve victim-centered, trauma-informed law enforcement
response to victims.
Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly said training is
needed across the board to identify victims and respond
properly.
“Juveniles maybe have been charged with a status offense of some
type or a misdemeanor, and the reality is, rather than the
perpetrator in that case, they are actually the victim. They
have been used by someone who is controlling them behind the
scenes to traffic them,” Kelly said.
Kelly said a key challenge is recognizing human trafficking when
it is happening.
“The reality is, no matter which way you measure it or which
metric you’re looking at, there is more human trafficking going
on than we are identifying,” Kelly said. |
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