Sen. Toni Atkins has introduced a bill that would require California hotels and motels to train employees how to recognize the signs of human trafficking and how to report those signs to law enforcement.
“These crimes often play out in hotels and motels,” Atkins said. “If we can mobilize workers in the lodging industry, we can save untold numbers of vulnerable women and girls from slavery and long-lasting trauma.”
She noted that training for employees of airlines and ride-sharing services has achieved results.
Human trafficking is rampant in California, with the FBI identifying San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco among the top locations. An estimated 8,000 people are victimized each year in the San Diego area.
Atkins represents the 39th District, which includes coastal and central San Diego from Coronado to Solana Beach, an area that encompasses most the the region’s tourist and convention hotels.
