The road to a comprehensive bill – Part I

2010.04.08

What can compare with the misery of those going through hell on earth as modern slaves, trafficked victims, whether 12 year old kids sold for sex or adults trapped in forced labor? But I have a sense of great hope. There is a building momentum in Oregon at this very moment over ending human trafficking in our state.

Oregon got its first law defining human trafficking as a crime on the books in 2007. In '09, the State Legislature passed a bill granting confidentiality to victims in shelter. This year they unanimously passed a Polaris Project hotline-posting bill that is moving ahead with an army of volunteers and the full cooperation of the Oregon Liquor Commission Control (OLCC). The bill was a "heat and light" generating act that is already proving its worth. Meanwhile, our own state's U.S. Senator, Ron Wyden, has been leading the push for much needed Federal funding for victim shelters.

Deputy Keith Bickford of the Oregon Task Force has been a tireless advocate in moving us as a state forward on this issue. Multnomah County, thanks to the leadership of Commissioner Diane McKeel, is developing a "John school." Local agencies and various nonprofits such as "Door to Grace" are gearing up for rescue and recovery operations. The Oregon Anti-Crime Alliance is pulling together much needed hard data on the whole trafficking picture. And other groups such as Oregonians Against Trafficking Humans are streaming out a nonstop education campaign.

Now key players are beginning a bipartisan push to pass a much more comprehensive and desperately needed bill in the 2011 state legislative session. The legislative effort is already advancing on multiple fronts.

1. We are working with Legislative Aide James Barta of State Representative Brent Barton's office to line up a major press event and "stuffing brigade" as volunteers convene to assist the Oregon Liquor Control Commission in placing hotline stickers in 2,500 license renewal packets. The first of four such "stuffings" scheduled for the next twelve months will occur sometime in the week of April 19.
   

   
    

2. The first Human Trafficking Legislative Planning Meeting was convened March 24 at the Northwest Health Foundation. The meeting, convened by Stephanie Mathis, Executive Director of the Oregon Center for Christian Values (OCCV), included 15 government and nonprofit sector personnel. The group laid out plans to introduce comprehensive legislation in time for the 2011 Oregon Legislative session. This bipartisan group included legislative aides to three state representatives (Carolyn Tomei, Jefferson Smith and Brent Barton) and one state senator (Bruce Starr).
   

   
    

   Drew Olson of Commissioner McKeel's office pointed out that Washington State passed a bill the week prior, spearheaded by Shared Hope International, that 1) creates mandatory diversion for first time offenders, 2) allows for exploited children to be detained for up to 15 days without charging them (and treats them as victims), 3) increases sentencing and fines for Johns and Pimps; 4) impounds the cars of offenders with a $2,500 charge to get the vehicles back; 5) provides for such revenue to go for shelter and recovery for victims; 6) disallows offenders to claim they did not know the victim was underage; and 7) requires law enforcement to come up with a model and training before January 2011.
   

   
    

   It was agreed that, while one thing this new law leaves out is money for the D.A.s, all this is much better than anything we have in Oregon. California is working on a ballot initiative that will include money for D.A.s. The money factor for these initiatives is important and is the primary concern in whether comprehensive legislation can pass in Oregon next year.
   

   
    

   This group will work together over the coming months to prepare the comprehensive legislation, giving priority consideration to meeting or exceeding the level of enforcement and service provided in California and Washington, our neighboring states.
   

   
    

3. Meanwhile, the leadership of OCCV's Human Trafficking Advisory Committee is gearing up on the grassroots level for an intense advocacy push. Bryan Colbourne of Salem, Stacy Bellavia of Portland, and I met this past Monday to tool out plans for the coming year to present to OCCV's Executive Committee for approval. Plans include recruiting ten point leaders from local congregations who will in turn recruit ten point persons each. The HT Committee will provide the training and logistical coordination to prepare these point persons for advocacy work with the advent of the legislative season next January. We anticipate we'll have our kickoff training session for the point leaders on Monday, June 7.
   

It is no exaggeration to say that lives are at stake. Scripture is adamant that we as Believers have an obligation to rescue those in bondage among us. Reminding the Israelites that God had redeemed them from slavery, Moses commanded the people, "Do not deprive the alien or the fatherless of justice, or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge." (Deut. 24:17) Doing justice, according to Jeremiah (21:12), means rescuing "from the hand of his oppressor the one who has been robbed," in this case rescuing those who have been robbed of their humanity, their dignity and so much more.

Anyone having questions, needing information or wanting to help can contact the OCCV office at info@occv.org or call 503-222-2072.