S. 3110 — STOP Human Trafficking Act

This section directs the Secretary of Transportation to carry out the Act by establishing or building upon existing counter-trafficking research efforts, including (1) studies by the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine—such as the Human Trafficking in Transportation Common Interest Group Steering Committee and National Cooperative Highway Research Program (20–121A) project on Countering Human Trafficking: A Toolkit for State DOTs—and (2) prevalence studies and multimodal research projects. The section also requires the Secretary to submit to Congress, not later than three years after enactment, a comprehensive report summarizing findings of past, current, and ongoing research on combating human trafficking in connection with transportation operations.

This section directs the Secretary of Transportation to develop, not later than two years after the date of enactment, (1) a central database tracking counter-trafficking efforts—including tips reported, policies, training, public awareness, and partnerships—of transportation organizations that have signed the Transportation Leaders Against Human Trafficking Pledge; (2) mode-specific counter-trafficking policies that include partnerships, reporting protocols, training, public awareness, research and information-sharing, and victim and survivor support; (3) a central database tracking human trafficking due diligence and prevention laws, resources, sample policies, and tools to support prevention and mitigation of forced labor in supply chains for goods and services across the transportation industry; and (4) a counter-trafficking policy template with a zero-tolerance approach for transportation organizations to adopt and post on their websites. In developing these items, the Secretary must consult with the Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking, the Transportation Leaders Against Human Trafficking initiative, and the Blue Lightning Initiative.

This section directs the Secretary of Transportation, not later than one year after the date of enactment, to (1) update the Department of Transportation’s multimodal counter-trafficking training and awareness campaign to incorporate recent best practices—including survivor-informed, trauma-informed, and mode-specific signage and resources that support informed decision-making and self-determination, prioritize safety and security, avoid retraumatization, and reflect culturally based values, traditions, customs, language, and behavior—and to address technological barriers to identification and reporting; and (2) develop print and digital modal pocket cards and toolkits, multilingual prevention-focused awareness materials for displaced and vulnerable populations, mode-specific indicators of human trafficking that also cover suspected traffickers, standardized checklists with modal indicators for transportation employees and law enforcement, and evaluation tools to assess survivor-informed training objectives and measure public awareness campaign outputs and outcomes. The section requires the Secretary to consult with the Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking, the Transportation Leaders Against Human Trafficking initiative, and the Blue Lightning Initiative (i.e., a Department of Homeland Security-led public-private partnership focused on aviation anti-trafficking awareness). Finally, the section requires the Secretary of Transportation, in coordination with the Secretary of Homeland Security and not later than one year after enactment, to submit to Congress a report with a plan to integrate modal counter-trafficking efforts into the Blue Lightning Initiative and establish similar mode-specific partnerships for other transportation sectors.

This section requires the Secretary of Transportation to establish, not later than one year after the date of enactment of this Act, an ongoing public awareness campaign to increase awareness of combating human trafficking along vulnerable routes, cities, and locations during major events (e.g., conventions, trade shows, sporting events, concerts, FIFA World Cup 26, 2028 Summer Olympics, and America250). The Secretary must periodically update campaign materials; consult with law enforcement, local governments, and public and private anti-trafficking stakeholders; and submit to Congress, not later than 90 days after establishing the campaign, a report including a plan for counter-trafficking pre-departure public service announcements at all DOT-supported transportation agencies. The section authorizes $10 million for each of FY2027 through FY2031 to carry out this section and sections 2 through 4.

This section establishes a grant program within the Office of the Secretary of Transportation to award grants to multi-modal transportation stakeholders (e.g., transit operators, passenger rail operators, airport authorities, maritime and port operators, commercial motor vehicle operators, rideshare and taxi operators, and nonprofits combating human trafficking) for human trafficking awareness, education, and prevention efforts, including coordination across community operations and implementation of best practices recommended by the Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking. Of amounts appropriated annually, the Secretary reserves $10 million for such grants, prioritizing entities in regions with higher human trafficking prevalence, considering effects on surrounding areas, and consulting the Advisory Committee on distributions. The section authorizes $10 million for each of FY2027 through FY2031.