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Committee hears bill to expand liability and protections for trafficking survivors

Washington State Senate Law and Justice Committee · January 19, 2026
AI-Generated Content: All content on this page was generated by AI to highlight key points from the meeting. For complete details and context, we recommend watching the full video. so we can fix them.

Summary

SB 5936 would allow prosecution of business entities for human trafficking, authorize fines and disgorgement, bolster victim confidentiality and facilitate T- and U-visa certification processes; survivors and advocates urged strong confidentiality and accountability while hospitality and law enforcement asked for drafting clarity.

OLYMPIA, Wash. — The Senate Law and Justice Committee took testimony on SB 5936 on Jan. 19, a broad measure aimed at strengthening criminal penalties for human trafficking, protecting victim confidentiality and improving processes for T- and U-visa certifications.

Staff counsel Ryan Giannini told the committee the bill would permit prosecution of business entities that knowingly engage in human trafficking or fail to stop known trafficking by employees when such conduct benefits the entity. It would authorize additional penalties including a fine of up to…

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