THLA is pleased to announce that Governor Abbott has signed into law House Bill 390 (authored by Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston) relating to annual human trafficking awareness and prevention training for hotel employees. THLA supported this important legislation as we worked with the bill’s author and numerous stakeholders to provide an effective means under state law for combatting human trafficking.
House Bill 390 and its training requirements for hotel employees go into effect beginning on January 1, 2022.
The bill’s main requirements include:
- All direct employees of commercial lodging establishments (more than 10 rooms) must complete an annual human trafficking awareness and prevention training program (may be offered in person or online)
2. The training program must be completed by any new employee within 90 days after the date the employee is hired
3. Lodging operators must provide a certificate of completion for an employee who completes the training
4. Lodging operators shall maintain physical or electronic certificates of completion for all current and former employees who completed the training
5. Lodging operators must display a sign (to be provided in late 2020 by the Texas Attorney General’s Office) easily visible to all employees that provides notice of employee training requirements, information about human trafficking, and contact information for reporting suspected trafficking activity
THLA has proactively sought to prevent human trafficking across our state for years. Our partnership with Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST) led to THLA offering complimentary online training for all of our members statewide. THLA further advanced this worthy cause by having our own staff become BEST-certified instructors and traveling to all corners of Texas delivering live, in-person training sessions. Now with Governor Abbott’s signing of House Bill 390, Texas can continue to lead the effort to end human trafficking.
Notably, the BEST training already offered for free to THLA members satisfies the training program requirements of House Bill 390. For more information on how to access the complimentary training program toward making sure you are doing all you can to prevent human trafficking, please visit THLA’s webpage here with full information. You may also call our office at (512) 474-2996 with any questions.