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[115th Congress Public Law 99]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

[[Page 2241]]

                      COMBATING HUMAN TRAFFICKING 
                       IN COMMERCIAL VEHICLES ACT

[[Page 131 STAT. 2242]]

Public Law 115-99
115th Congress

                                 An Act

 
 To designate a human trafficking prevention coordinator and to expand 
   the scope of activities authorized under the Federal Motor Carrier 
Safety Administration's outreach and education program to include human 
trafficking prevention activities, and for other purposes. <<NOTE: Jan. 
                         3, 2018 -  [S. 1536]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Combating Human 
Trafficking in Commercial Vehicles Act. 49 USC 30101 note.>> 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Combating Human Trafficking in 
Commercial Vehicles Act''.
SEC. 2. <<NOTE: 49 USC 102 note.>>  HUMAN TRAFFICKING PREVENTION 
                    COORDINATOR.

    The Secretary of Transportation shall designate an official within 
the Department of Transportation who shall--
            (1) coordinate human trafficking prevention efforts across 
        modal administrations in the Department of Transportation and 
        with other departments and agencies of the Federal Government; 
        and
            (2) in coordinating such efforts, take into account the 
        unique challenges of combating human trafficking within 
        different transportation modes.
SEC. 3. EXPANSION OF OUTREACH AND EDUCATION PROGRAM.

    Section 31110(c)(1) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end the following: ``The program authorized under this 
subsection may support, in addition to funds otherwise available for 
such purposes, the recognition, prevention, and reporting of human 
trafficking, while deferring to existing resources, as practicable.''.
SEC. 4. EXPANSION OF COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSE FINANCIAL 
                    ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

    Section 31313(a)(3) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``or'' at the end;
            (2) by redesignating subparagraph (E) as subparagraph (F); 
        and
            (3) by inserting after subparagraph (D) the following:
                    ``(E) support, in addition to funds otherwise 
                available for such purposes, the recognition, 
                prevention, and reporting of human trafficking; or''.

[[Page 131 STAT. 2243]]

SEC. 5. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY 
                    COMMITTEE ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish an advisory 
committee on human trafficking.
    (b) Membership.--
            (1) Composition.--The Committee shall be composed of not 
        more than 15 external stakeholder members whose diverse 
        experience and background enable them to provide balanced points 
        of view with regard to carrying out the duties of the Committee.
            (2) <<NOTE: Appointments.>>  Selection.--The Secretary shall 
        appoint the external stakeholder members to the Committee, 
        including representatives from--
                    (A) trafficking advocacy organizations;
                    (B) law enforcement; and
                    (C) trucking, bus, rail, aviation, maritime, and 
                port sectors, including industry and labor.
            (3) Periods of appointment.--Members shall be appointed for 
        the life of the Committee.
            (4) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Committee shall be filled 
        in the manner in which the original appointment was made and 
        shall not affect the powers or duties of the Committee.
            (5) Compensation.--Committee members shall serve without 
        compensation.

    (c) <<NOTE: Deadline.>>  Authority.--Not later than 9 months after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish and 
appoint all members of the Committee.

    (d) Duties.--
            (1) Recommendations for the department of transportation.--
        Not later <<NOTE: Deadline.>>  than 18 months after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Committee shall make recommendations 
        to the Secretary on actions the Department can take to help 
        combat human trafficking, including the development and 
        implementation of--
                    (A) <<NOTE: Strategies.>>  successful strategies for 
                identifying and reporting instances of human 
                trafficking; and
                    (B) recommendations for administrative or 
                legislative changes necessary to use programs, 
                properties, or other resources owned, operated, or 
                funded by the Department to combat human trafficking.
            (2) Best practices and recommendations.--
                    (A) In general.--The Committee shall develop 
                recommended best practices for States and State and 
                local transportation stakeholders to follow in combating 
                human trafficking.
                    (B) Development.--The best practices shall be based 
                on multidisciplinary research and promising, evidence-
                based models and programs.
                    (C) <<NOTE: Strategies.>>  Content.--The best 
                practices shall be user-friendly, incorporate the most 
                up-to-date technology, and include the following:
                          (i) Sample training materials.
                          (ii) Strategies to identify victims.
                          (iii) Sample protocols and recommendations, 
                      including--
                                    (I) strategies to collect, document, 
                                and share data across systems and 
                                agencies;

[[Page 131 STAT. 2244]]

                                    (II) strategies to help agencies 
                                better understand the types of 
                                trafficking involved, the scope of the 
                                problem, and the degree of victim 
                                interaction with multiple systems; and
                                    (III) strategies to identify 
                                effective pathways for State agencies to 
                                utilize their position in educating 
                                critical stakeholder groups and 
                                assisting victims.
                    (D) Informing states of best practices.--The 
                Secretary shall ensure that State Governors and State 
                departments of transportation are notified of the best 
                practices and recommendations.

    (e) Reports.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary shall--
            (1) submit a report on the actions of the Committee 
        described in subsection (d) to--
                    (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                Transportation of the Senate; and
                    (B) the Committee on Transportation and 
                Infrastructure of the House of Representatives; and
            (2) <<NOTE: Public information. Web posting.>>  make the 
        report under paragraph (1) publicly available both physically 
        and online.

    (f) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Committee.--The term ``Committee'' means the Department 
        of Transportation Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking 
        established under subsection (a).
            (2) Human trafficking.--The term ``human trafficking'' means 
        an act or practice described in paragraph (9) or paragraph (10) 
        of section 103 of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 
        (22 U.S.C. 7102).
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Transportation.

    Approved January 3, 2018.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 1536 (H.R. 3813):
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

HOUSE REPORTS: No. 115-467 (Comm. on Transportation and Infrastructure) 
accompanying H.R. 3813.
SENATE REPORTS: No. 115-177 (Comm. on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 163 (2017):
            Sept. 14, considered and passed Senate.
            Dec. 19, considered and passed House.

                                  <all>
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