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RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO POST HUMAN TRAFFICKING AWARENESS SIGNS IN PUBLIC AREAS AT COUNTY-OWNED FACILITIES AND TO PROVIDE A STATUS REPORT TO THE BOARD

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WHEREAS, human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery where individuals are often sold or forced into sexual exploitation; and
WHEREAS, the reprehensible individuals who profit from this deplorable practice often prey upon and manipulate the most vulnerable in our society, including children; and
WHEREAS, the children used for commercial sex trafficking are, on average, no more than 12-13 years old and are often victims of prior physical, psychological, and sexual abuse, poverty, unaddressed trauma, and/or low self-esteem; and
WHEREAS, a 2001 study conducted by the University of Pennsylvania estimated that between 244,000 and 325,000 children in America are at risk each year of becoming victims of commercial sexual exploitation; and
WHEREAS, a 2011 report by the Department of Justice�s Bureau of Judicial Statistics also found that nearly half of all incidents of sex trafficking in the United States involve victims under the age of 18; and
WHEREAS, in order to raise awareness on human trafficking, the Florida Legislature recently passed legislation creating Section 787.29, Florida Statutes, which requires human trafficking awareness signs to be placed at: (1) state transportation centers, such as rest areas, turnpike service plazas, weigh stations, airports, passenger rail stations, and welcome centers; (2) emergency rooms of general acute care hospitals; (3) strip clubs or other adult entertainment establishments; and (4) any business that provides massage or bodywork services for compensation that is not operated and regulated as a health care profession; and
WHEREAS, the state�s awareness signs include contact information for the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (�NHTRC�), a national hotline funded by the United States Department of Health and Human Services that provides referral services to victims of human trafficking, tips to law enforcement, and information to raise public awareness; and
WHEREAS, in 2014, the NHTRC hotline received 1,428 phone calls and reported 364 human trafficking cases in Florida alone; and
WHEREAS, at least 25 other states require or encourage the NHTRC hotline number to be posted or promoted within the state; and
WHEREAS, there are a number of highly-frequented, public areas at County facilities where human trafficking awareness signs can be effectively displayed including, but not limited to, Metrorail stations and trains, Metrobus stops and buses, libraries, parks, and the lobbies of government buildings; and
WHEREAS, placement of these signs in public areas at County facilities furthers this Board�s continued mission to raise awareness and address human trafficking,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that:
Section 1. The County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee is hereby directed to determine the public areas at County facilities where human trafficking awareness signs can be most effectively displayed and to use legally available funding sources to display said signs in those locations.
Section 2. The County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee is further directed to submit a status report to this Board within 60 days of the effective date of this resolution regarding the locations where human trafficking awareness signs have been displayed at County facilities. The completed report shall be placed on an agenda of the Board pursuant to Ordinance No. 14-65.