Conference committee reviews amendments to House Bill 1308 to strengthen Human Trafficking Commission, add education duties and membership

The conference committee on House Bill 1308 met to consider amendments that would change the Human Trafficking Commission's membership, clarify appointment authority, designate the attorney general (or the attorney general's designee) as the commission's presiding officer, and add an annual prevention-and-awareness education duty for students. Senator Bauschay presented the amendments and said the changes were intended to give the commission more independence and to "keep the commission itself moving forward," while preserving flexibility about which organizations the attorney general can draw on.

The amendments in the circulated draft (version 0.01003) would add specific, named seats or spokespeople to the commission: legislators; a representative from Children and Family Services within the Department of Human Services; two school representatives (one from a rural district and one from a larger district); a representative of the State's Attorneys Association; and a representative from the governor's office. The…