Fla. Stat. § 509.096 — Florida Code / Title XXXIII / Chapter 509 / Part I / Section 509.096
509.096 Human trafficking awareness training and policies for public lodging establishments; enforcement.
Status: in_force

(1) A public lodging establishment shall: (a) Provide annual training regarding human trafficking awareness to employees of the establishment who perform housekeeping duties in the rental units or who work at the front desk or reception area where guests ordinarily check in or check out. Such training must also be provided for new employees within 60 days after they begin their employment in those roles. Each employee must submit to the hiring establishment a signed and dated acknowledgment of having received the training, which the establishment must provide to the Department of Business and Professional Regulation upon request. The establishment may keep such acknowledgment electronically. (b) Implement a procedure for the reporting of suspected human trafficking to the National Human Trafficking Hotline or to a local law enforcement agency. (c) By January 1, 2025, post in a conspicuous location in the establishment which is accessible to employees a human trafficking public awareness sign at least 11 inches by 15 inches in size, printed in an easily legible font and in at least 32-point type, which states in English and Spanish and any other language predominantly spoken in that area which the department deems appropriate substantially the following: “If you or someone you know is being forced to engage in an activity and cannot leave, whether it is prostitution, housework, farm work, factory work, retail work, restaurant work, or any other activity, call the Florida Human Trafficking Hotline, 1-855-FLA-SAFE, to access help and services. Victims of slavery and human trafficking are protected under United States and Florida law.”

(2) The human trafficking awareness training required under paragraph (1)(a) must be submitted to and approved by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation and must include all of the following: (a) The definition of human trafficking and the difference between the two forms of human trafficking: sex trafficking and labor trafficking. (b) Guidance specific to the public lodging sector concerning how to identify individuals who may be victims of human trafficking. (c) Guidance concerning the role of the employees of a public lodging establishment in reporting and responding to suspected human trafficking.

(3) The division shall impose an administrative fine of $2,000 per day on a public lodging establishment that is not in compliance with this section and remit the fines to the direct-support organization established under s. 16.618, unless the division receives adequate written documentation from the public lodging establishment which provides assurance that each deficiency will be corrected within 45 days after the division provided the public lodging establishment with notice of its violation. For a second or subsequent violation of this subsection, the division may not provide a correction period to a public lodging establishment and must impose the applicable administrative fines.

(4) This section does not establish a private cause of action. This section does not alter or limit any other existing remedies available to survivors of human trafficking.

History: s. 6, ch. 2019-152; s. 128, ch. 2020-2; s. 5, ch. 2023-85; s. 5, ch. 2024-184.