Bill requiring human trafficking training for new commercial driver's licenses nears governor’s desk

Drivers of commercial vehicles, like buses or trucks, might often unknowingly come into contact with victims of human trafficking as they’re being transported. Research suggests those drivers can play a crucial role in preventing trafficking when trained to spot the signs. A bill nearing the governor’s desk would require some training for all new commercial drivers licenses.

To get a new commercial drivers license under House Bill 1196, people would have to attest to watching an almost 30-minute, publicly-available video on the signs of human trafficking. It doesn’t require them to do anything if they believe they spot a potential victim.

The video is created by a nonprofit called Truckers Against Trafficking. The bill’s author, Rep. Wendy McNamara (R-Evansville), credited the nonprofit with the idea for the bill.

“The truckers are our eyes and ears and can recognize these things,” McNamara said. “And once they've recognized what to look for, [they] can help law enforcement help people be reunited with their families. Not just sexual trafficking, but also labor trafficking as well.”

Truckers Against Trafficking also has a wallet card that drivers can carry with tips on how to spot and report potential trafficking. And they have a sticker that drivers can put on their cab window that directs potential victims to resources to help them.

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Karen Maher, director of anti-trafficking initiatives for the Indiana Coalition to End Sexual Assault and Human Trafficking, testified in favor of the bill during an early March committee hearing.

She told lawmakers Indiana is “so susceptible” to trafficking because as the “Crossroads of America” trafficking victims not only travel within the state, but through the state to surrounding major metro areas.

“Really, everybody in Indiana should have training on how to identify trafficking and respond,” Maher said. “Because we know the more we do the education, whether it's for law enforcement, health care [and] now, truckers, the more we are seeing the numbers of victims being identified and being connected to help in Indiana.”

There is some data on trafficking in Indiana available based on calls to the national trafficking hotline and law enforcement investigations, but officials say that data likely misses a significant number of these cases. A state law passed in 2022 requires local law enforcement agencies to report all trafficking investigations to the state attorney general in an effort to improve available data.

HB 1196 does not require this training for renewals of existing commercial drivers licenses. Gary Langston of the Indiana Motor Truck Association said during testimony in favor of the bill that not requiring the training for renewals is fine because “eventually” every driver will be trained in this as older drivers retire and new ones take their place.

“But the bottom line is, if they do see something and they haven't had this training and they don't have that card in their wallet, there's a pretty good chance they're not going to do anything,” Langston said. “There's a possibility that they will [do something] if they see [this training]. It's simply an opportunity to address an issue that this industry probably has eyes on more often than many other industries.”

The bill passed the Senate Monday, but it must return to the House to approve some technical changes before it can head to the governor’s desk.

Adam is our labor and employment reporter. Contact him at arayes@wvpe.org or follow him on Twitter at @arayesIPB.

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