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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR Garcia, M.J.

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2/20/2007

3/16/2007 HB

SHORT TITLE Study Extent of Human Trafficking

SJM 24/a SJC

ANALYST Wilson

ESTIMATED ADDITIONAL OPERATING BUDGET IMPACT (dollars in thousands)

FY07

FY08 FY09 3 Year

Total Cost

Recurring or

Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

Total

$0.1

$0.1

Non-Recurring General

Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Relates to HJM 22

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

SUMMARY

Synopsis of SJC Amendment

The amendment proposed by the Senate Judiciary Committee replaces a reference to the

Secretary of Public Safety with the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) in regards to who will

chair the task force and removes the AGO as an additional member to the task force.

The amendment replaces the word may, with shall in regards to other members of the task force.

The amendment removes sections that describe the duties of the task force and replaces them

with the following:

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force investigate collaborative models for

protecting victims of trafficking and recommend improvements in services and coordination of

services for persons who have been the victims of human trafficking; analyze existing state

criminal statutes for their adequacy in providing for protection of and provision of services to

victims; and consult with governmental and non-governmental organizations to develop

recommendations to strengthen state and local efforts to prevent trafficking, protect and assist

victims of trafficking and prosecute traffickers; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force report its findings and recommendations to

the appropriate interim legislative committee during the 2008 interim; and

Senate Joint Memorial 24/a SJC– Page

2

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the attorney

general, the secretary of labor and the governor.

Synopsis of Original Bill

Senate Joint Memorial 24 requests the secretary of the Department of Public Safety to assemble

and chair a task force. The task force should consist of a representative of the Attorney General's

Office (AGO), the United States Attorney's Office; the Labor Department, the Department of

Health and the Children, Youth and Families Department and. the Commission on the Status of

Women.

The task force may also include representatives from the New Mexico coalition against domestic

violence; the southwest women's law center; an immigrant or refugee rights center; a refugee

services organization; a child and youth advocacy organization; an interfaith religious

organization, or a mental health services advocacy organization; or a human rights or social

justice advocacy organization. and other members as deemed necessary.

The purpose of the task force will be to:

•

assess the nature and extent of human trafficking in New Mexico

•

assess state responses to date

•

make recommendations to the legislature for development of state law to prosecute

traffickers

•

study the nature and extent of human trafficking in this state

•

investigate collaborative models for protecting victims of trafficking

•

evaluate New Mexico's progress in preventing trafficking

•

evaluate approaches by other state and local governments to increase public awareness of

human trafficking

•

analyze existing laws dealing with trafficking

According to the memorial the task force must prepare a report detailing its findings and

recommendations, including methods to address human trafficking and to provide a coordinated

system of support and assistance to its victims.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The task force report its findings and recommendations to the governor and the legislature by

July 1, 2008.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The agencies serving on the task force will have to absorb any costs with there current funding.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

Human trafficking is a serious problem in the United States and throughout the world.

Human traffickers prey on the most vulnerable and turn a commercial profit at the expense of

innocent lives.

Senate Joint Memorial 24/a SJC– Page

3

Victims of trafficking are recruited, transported or sold into all forms of forced labor and

servitude, including prostitution, sweatshops, domestic service and farming.

Each year an estimated 600,000 to 800,000 women, men and children are trafficked against their

will across international borders, 14,500 to 17,500 of whom are trafficked into the United States.

Approximately eighty percent of trafficking victims are female and seventy percent of those

female victims are trafficked for sex and the commercial sex industry; and

The southwest border continues to serve as the biggest point of illegal entry into the United

States, largely because traffickers are able to get undocumented people across without

documents.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

Agencies on the task force will have to absorb any administrative cost involved by serving on the

task force.

RELATIONSHIP

SJM 24 is very similar to HJM 22, but not identical

DW/mt