The bill appeared on the House Floor Agenda but was removed before it could be discussed. The House Floor version was almost the same as the original version.

Key Points:

• Focus on Statistics Over Practical Education: The proposed curriculum was written by the author without consulting trafficking organizations. It focused on memorizing facts like trafficking rates, what trafficking is, how it differs from prostitution, and trafficking laws, rather than using research-backed education.

• Limited Discussion on Labor Trafficking: The curriculum mainly covered sex trafficking, with little mention of labor trafficking. The author shared a story about a constituent’s child who was nearly “snatched” from their front yard, which inspired this bill (SB 1198). Most of the education focused on situations similar to this incident, with little focus on international or labor trafficking.

• Questionable Messaging for Young Students: The curriculum suggested teaching kids as young as 12 how to identify and even “rescue” people involved in trafficking, which raised concerns about its appropriateness.

• Rigid Teaching Schedule: The author included a strict schedule for how and when the material should be taught, specifying the total hours, daily hours, and timing of sessions. When asked about this, the author mentioned that schools often have “empty days” before vacations that need filling, but this reasoning isn’t supported.

Mandates curriculum on human trafficking in school. Details what the curriculum will cover.