Rep. Williams Introduces Legislation to Help Prevent Human Trafficking

State Representative Josh Williams (R-Sylvania Twp.) today announced he recently introduced House Bill 431 – legislation that would implement an annual screening within school districts to detect if students are at risk or are currently being trafficked. 

“Human trafficking is one of the most heinous crimes affecting our youth, and too often, the signs go unnoticed,” said Rep. Williams. “House Bill 431 gives schools a proactive tool to identify and protect vulnerable students before it's too late. This legislation is about safeguarding our children and ensuring no student slips through the cracks.”

If passed, House Bill 431 would require schools to perform annual screenings for each student using the University of Toledo's FOCUS youth screening tool to identify students who may be at risk of or involved in human trafficking. Each school district would be required to provide the results of the screenings to the University of Toledo.

This bill awaits a committee assignment.