Thursday, Senator Suzette Martinez Valladares, R-Santa Clarita, bill that would have established California’s first statewide coordinated response to human trafficking was killed in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

Senate Bill 1022, the California Multidisciplinary Alliance to Stop Trafficking Act, or the MAST Act, would have created a statewide task force to evaluate and strengthen collaboration between government agencies and the nonprofit organizations serving trafficking victims. 

The task force would have brought together experts, service providers and state officials to identify best practices, close gaps in services, and deliver a unified, all-hands-on-deck response to human trafficking across California.

The bill passed the full California State Senate unanimously and cleared the Assembly Public Safety Committee before being rejected by the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

The MAST Act would have cost the state an estimated $289,000 annually, a tiny fraction of the state’s law enforcement budget. 

“Human trafficking is an evil, complex and evolving crime,” said Senator Valladares. “Traffickers are organized. California’s response must be too. Today’s vote is a painful setback for trafficking victims across California whose horrific trauma demand a better response from their government. After passing the full Senate without a single no vote, it’s extremely disappointing to have it die in committee.”

Senator Valladares is committed to continuing this fight.

She will not stop until California has the coordinated, survivor-informed, accountable response to human trafficking that victims deserve.

“We will not stop fighting,” said Senator Valladares. “Every day that California operates without a coordinated response to human trafficking is another day that victims fall through the cracks and traffickers can more easily operate with impunity, and especially frustrating as we prepare for the upcoming major sporting events, which can be magnets for human trafficking crimes.”

Ed. Note: The above information was provided by Senator Valladares’ Office.

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