Another bill passed this week aims to encourage hotels and motels to train their employees on how to spot Human Trafficking on their premises. Human Trafficking is a particularly heinous crime that does take place all too often here in Iowa. Sex Trafficking of children that have been lured into the clutches of these trafficking rings is particularly disturbing. Recently a documentary called “Gridshock” that documents how Human Sex Trafficking is occurring here in Iowa was shown in Marshalltown and here at the capitol. It’s heartbreaking to see how young girls are lured into this practice and abused daily. Under this bill, House File 2259, beginning January 1, 2022, a lodging provider can voluntarily train and certify to the Department of Public Safety that they have completed Human Trafficking prevention training. To spur these businesses to meet this goal, as of that date no public funds shall be spent at any of these lodging providers unless they are certified the completion of this training.
