SACRAMENTO, CA – Assemblymember Catherine Stefani (D-San Francisco) introduced AB 381, the Human Trafficking Procurement Prevention Act. The bill would prevent human trafficking and forced labor at the source by updating the state’s outdated public procurement process and leveraging the billions of dollars that California spends annually to better protect workers in California and globally.
“California has the power and the responsibility to lead in the fight against human trafficking. By ensuring that no taxpayer money contributes to forced labor, we take a stand for human dignity and justice—not just here in California, but across the globe.” said Assemblymember Stefani. “Every dollar our state spends should uphold our values, not enable exploitation. This legislation uses our economic strength to protect the most vulnerable.”
For decades, forced labor has plagued supply chains and industries. From 2022-2023, California spent almost $19 billion on purchasing and contracts and is known to procure goods that are at high risk of being produced with human trafficking, forced labor, and/or child labor. However, the state has not updated its procurement policies since 2007. This bill aligns state law with the federal standards set forth in 2016 that adopt more specific and detailed guidance for businesses to prevent human trafficking and mitigate exploitation.
“It’s rare that California can enact legislation that will not only prevent human trafficking in the California but in global supply chains. But California can do this by simply adopting the same federal standards to prevent trafficking in procurement that was adopted 8 years ago.” said Professor Stephanie Richard Esq, Director of the Sunita Jain Anti-Trafficking Initiative at Loyola Law School. “In light of recent federal actions signaling the new administration will reduce oversight and protections for workers and immigrants, the time for California to enact this first of its kind State legislation is now.”
AB 381 provides clear guidance for companies on how to prevent trafficking in their supply chains.
Specifically, this bill:
- Creates clear definitions of human trafficking and forced labor
- Provides guidance on prohibited actions that involve fraud and misinterpretation for government contractors/subcontractors
- Mandates certification of compliance plans by government contractors/subcontractors, and
- Outlines procedures for companies to follow if they identify trafficking or forced labor in supply chains
AB 381 will be heard in Assembly policy committees during the spring.
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