Bill > S2461

This bill strengthens anti-human trafficking laws by establishing a board to license and regulate bodywork therapists, defining what constitutes "bodywork therapy" and setting standards for practitioners and establishments, and creating penalties for unlicensed practice or fraudulent activities. It also expands the definition of human trafficking to include sexual servitude, mandates training for law enforcement and other professionals on identifying and responding to trafficking, and requires public awareness campaigns and data collection on trafficking incidents. Additionally, the bill allows for the dismissal of charges for individuals whose involvement in an offense was a result of being a victim of human trafficking, and establishes a first-offender program for commercial sexual exploitation. Finally, it creates a partnership between state agencies and private entities to combat human trafficking and requires the Massachusetts Department of Transportation to display public awareness signs with a human trafficking hotline number in public transportation facilities.