Bill > HB147

This bill requires lodging facilities, defined as hotels, motels, inns, resorts, and similar establishments with ten or more guest rooms, to take specific actions to combat human trafficking. Firstly, these facilities must prominently display a poster in English, Spanish, and other primary languages of their workforce or clientele, which includes the definition of human trafficking, details on prohibited conduct under Chapter 30, Article 52 of New Mexico Statutes Annotated (NMSA) 1978, and contact information for a national human trafficking hotline and a state reporting organization. The workforce solutions department will provide a model poster for compliance. Secondly, lodging facility operators must ensure all employees complete human trafficking awareness training within ninety days of hire and annually thereafter, covering an overview of trafficking, common indicators, appropriate responses, reporting procedures, and protection against retaliation for good-faith reporting; this training can be satisfied by programs approved by the department of public safety or attorney general. Operators must maintain training records for three years, and facilities with twenty-five or fewer employees have twelve months from the bill's effective date of July 1, 2026, to comply with the training requirements. Failure to comply with these provisions can result in civil penalties of up to $500 per violation, enforceable by the attorney general or a district attorney.

https://www.nmlegis.gov/Legislation/Legislation?chamber=H&legtype=B&legno=147&year=26