What is the Council?

Overview

During the 2014 legislative session, House Bill 14-1273 was signed into law. This legislation established up to a 35-person Human Trafficking Council (The Council) that represents a wide range of agencies including state agencies, law enforcement, prosecutors, NGOs, regional coalitions and task forces, legal services, victim service providers, academia, faith-based organizations, etc. The Council is housed under the Colorado Department of Public Safety, Division of Criminal Justice, Office for Victims Programs and is designed to: 

• • 1. Bring together leadership from community-based and statewide anti-trafficking efforts;

    2. Build and enhance collaboration among communities and counties within the state;

    3. Establish and improve comprehensive services for victims and survivors of human trafficking

    4. Assist in the successful prosecution of human traffickers; and

    5. Help prevent human trafficking in Colorado.

The Work of the Council

The Council's work focuses on the statutory mandates outlined in HB14-1273, SB15-30 and SB15-1019.  The mandates of the Council were updated due to the passage of SB 19-149.  The mandates include making recommendations to the Judiciary Committees of the House of Representatives and Senate on the following: 

1.  By January 1, 2016, make recommendations to the Judiciary Committees of the House and Senate concerning whether the General Assembly should:

• • Establish standards and a process for the certification of organizations that provide services to victims of human trafficking (completed in 2017 and repealed by SB 19-149) ; and

  • Establish a grant program to which organizations that provide services to victims of human trafficking may apply for grants, including consideration of how such a grant program may be funded.

  • Whether the general assembly should enact legislation concerning:

    • The prosecution of, or granting of immunity to, a child victim of commercial sexual exploitation for offenses related to that exploitation; 

    • The creation of other legal protections, including statutory defenses for child victims of commercial sexual exploitation for offenses related to that exploitation and the creation of any necessary changes to Title 19, to implement those legal protections or defenses; 

    • Standards, guidelines, or mandates regarding the appropriate assessment, placement, and treatment of child victims of commercial sexual exploitation. 

2. By January 1, 2017, (and each year thereafter), submit a report to the Judiciary Committees summarizing the activities of the council during the preceding year.

3. Make recommendations concerning any statutory changes that the council deems necessary to facilitate the prosecution and punishment of persons who engage in, and to protect the victims of, human trafficking.  

4. Develop an implementation plan for a public awareness campaign to educate the public about human trafficking and place victims services contact information in places where victims of human trafficking are likely to see it.

5. Develop training standards and curricula for organizations that provide assistance to victims of human trafficking, for persons who work in or who frequent places where human trafficking victims are likely to appear, and for law enforcement agencies.

6. Identify best practices for the prevention of all forms of human trafficking, including but not limited to child sex trafficking and involuntary servitude.

7. Collect data relating to the prevalence of, and the efforts of law enforcement to combat, human trafficking in Colorado.  The Council shall annually report the data to the Judiciary Committees.

8. Research and pursue funding opportunities for the council. 

9. On or after January 1, 2019, perform a post-enactment review of section 18-7-201.3 and report its findings to the judiciary committees of the senate and house of representatives.