[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 443 Engrossed in House (EH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 443

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
    To direct the Secretary of Labor to train certain employees of 
     Department of Labor how to effectively detect and assist law 
enforcement in preventing human trafficking during the course of their 
                official duties, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Enhancing Detection of Human 
Trafficking Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITION OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

    In this Act, the term ``human trafficking'' means any act or 
practice described in paragraph (11) of section 103 of the Trafficking 
Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7102).

SEC. 3. TRAINING FOR DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL TO IDENTIFY HUMAN 
              TRAFFICKING.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Labor shall implement a program 
to provide the training and periodic continuing education described in 
subsection (b) to employees of the Department of Labor whom the 
Secretary determines should receive such training or education based on 
their official duties. In making such determination with respect to 
employees of the Wage and Hour Division, the Secretary shall consider 
the training and education needs of such employees operating in a State 
with a significant increase in oppressive child labor (as defined in 
section 3(l) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 
203(l)).
    (b) Training and Continuing Education Described.--The training and 
continuing education provided under the program referred to in 
subsection (a)--
            (1) may be conducted through in-class or virtual learning 
        capabilities; and
            (2) shall include--
                    (A) training or continuing education that--
                            (i) is most appropriate for the particular 
                        location or professional environment in which 
                        the employees receiving such training or 
                        continuing education perform their official 
                        duties;
                            (ii) covers topics determined by the 
                        Secretary of Labor to appropriately reflect 
                        current trends and best practices for such 
                        location or environment; and
                            (iii) includes--
                                    (I) the provision of current 
                                information on matters related to the 
                                detection of human trafficking to the 
                                extent relevant to the official duties 
                                of such employees, and consistent with 
                                privacy laws;
                                    (II) methods for identifying 
                                suspected victims of human trafficking 
                                and parties who may be suspected of the 
                                trafficking activity; and
                                    (III) a clear course of action for 
                                referring potential cases of human 
                                trafficking to the Department of 
                                Justice and other appropriate 
                                authorities, in accordance with best 
                                practices for protecting the rights of 
                                victims of human trafficking, including 
                                appropriate collaboration with victim 
                                advocacy organizations, Federal 
                                agencies, and State and local 
                                officials; and
                    (B) an evaluation of the training or continuing 
                education by such employees after the completion of 
                such training or education.

SEC. 4. REPORTS TO CONGRESS.

    Not later than 1 year after the Secretary of Labor first implements 
the program under section 3(a), and each year thereafter, the Secretary 
of Labor shall submit to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions of the Senate, a report on--
            (1) the training and continuing education provided under 
        the program for the preceding year, including--
                    (A) an evaluation (including the overall 
                effectiveness) of such training and continuing 
                education; and
                    (B) the number of individuals who have completed 
                such training or continuing education; and
            (2) the number of cases related to the detection of human 
        trafficking, which were referred to the Department of Justice 
        and other appropriate authorities during the preceding year by 
        the Department of Labor, and the processes used by the 
        Department of Labor to accurately measure and track the 
        response of the Department of Justice and other appropriate 
        authorities to such cases.

            Passed the House of Representatives February 5, 2024.

            Attest:

                                                                 Clerk.
118th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                               H. R. 443

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

    To direct the Secretary of Labor to train certain employees of 
     Department of Labor how to effectively detect and assist law 
enforcement in preventing human trafficking during the course of their 
                official duties, and for other purposes.