Explanation: Capitals indicate matter added to existing law.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
* Warning: This is an unofficial, introductory copy of the bill.
The official copy considered by the City Council is the first reader copy.
Introductory*
City of Baltimore
Council Bill
Introduced by: Councilmember Burnett
A Bill Entitled
An Ordinance concerning
title
Homeless Shelters and Transitional Housing Units - Human Trafficking Notice Requirements
For the purpose of requiring homeless shelters and transitional housing units within the City of Baltimore to place a notice regarding a certain human trafficking prevention hotline in certain locations; providing that the required human trafficking notices may be obtained from the United States Department of Homeland Security’s Blue Campaign website; providing for certain penalties; and generally relating to human trafficking notice requirements for homeless shelters and transitional housing units.
body
By adding
Article 15 - Licensing and Regulation
Section(s) 42A-1 through 42A-4 to be under the new subtitle designation
“Subtitle 42A. Temporary Shelter Human Trafficking Notice Requirements”
Baltimore City Code
(Edition 2000)
BY repealing and re-ordaining, with amendments,
Article 1 - Mayor, City Council, and Municipal Agencies
Section 40-14(e)(2)
Baltimore City Code
(Edition 2000)
Section 1. Be it ordained by the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, That the Laws of Baltimore City read as follows:
Baltimore City Code
Article 15. Licensing and Regulation
Subtitle 42A. Temporary Shelter Human Trafficking Notice Requirements
§ 42A-1. Definitions.
(a) In general.
In this subtitle, the following terms have the meaning indicated.
(b) Homeless; homelessness.
“Homeless” or “homelessness” means an individual’s state of:
(1) having no present possessory interest in a living accommodation and lacking the means necessary to obtain that interest; and
(2) having a possessory interest in a living accommodation but:
(i) the inability to secure entry into that accommodation; or
(ii) occupation of the accommodation would likely lead to violence from another occupant.
(c) Homeless shelter.
“Homeless shelter” means a facility that:
(1) provides temporary shelter with overnight sleeping accommodations for homeless individuals; and
(2) does not require occupants to sign a lease.
(d) Human trafficking.
(1) In general.
“Human trafficking” means the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, slavery, or commercial sexual exploitation.
(2) Inclusions.
“Human trafficking” includes labor trafficking and sex trafficking.
(e) Transitional housing unit.
“Transitional housing unit” means a facility or living area that is part of a program designed to:
(1) provide housing and appropriate supportive services to homeless individuals; and
(2) facilitate the movement of homeless individuals to independent living arrangements.
§ 42A-2. Requirements.
(a) The person in charge of the homeless shelter or transitional housing unit must post a sign that states the following:
“REPORT HUMAN TRAFFICKING
National Human Trafficking Resource Center
Call 1-888-373-7888 or text “BeFree” (233733)
CALL FOR HELP IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW:
• is being forced to have sex without consent
• has had an ID or documents taken away
• is being threatened by or is in debt to an employer
• wants to leave a job but cannot freely do so
TOLL-FREE ‡ 24/7 ‡ CONFIDENTIAL ‡ INTERPRETERS AVAILABLE
This sign is required by Baltimore City law”.
(b) The sign must:
(1) be at least 16 by 20 inches in size;
(2) contain the text required under this section in English, Spanish, and any other languages required by the federal Voting Rights Act for voting materials in Baltimore City; and
(3) draw attention to the phone and text numbers of the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline by showing the phone and text numbers in bold type.
(c) The person in charge may meet the requirements of this section by creating signs using a font size of not less than 30 points for the hotline and text numbers and a font size of not less than 12 points for the body text, or using copies of the signs created and made available online by the United States Department of Homeland Security’s Blue Campaign website.
§ 42A-3. Sign location.
(a) Placement.
A copy of the human trafficking sign required by § 42A-2 {“Requirements”} of this subtitle shall be posted by the person in charge at the homeless shelter or transitional housing unit in a clear and conspicuous place where it can be easily seen and read by individuals staying at the homeless shelter or transitional housing unit.
(b) Locations.
Locations where the required human trafficking sign may be placed include:
(1) locker rooms;
(2) cafeterias;
(3) sleeping facilities; and
(4) other similar locations.
§ 421A-4. Penalties for failure to post signage.
(a) In general.
(1) Prerequisite to issuance.
A citation under this section may only be issued after the issuance of a written warning and a failure to correct the violation within 30 days of the date of the warning.
(2) Authorization to issue.
In addition to any other civil or criminal remedy or enforcement procedure, this subtitle may be enforced by issuance of an environmental citation under City Code Article 1, Subtitle 40 {“Environmental Control Board”}.
(b) Process not exclusive.
The issuance of a citation to enforce this subtitle does not preclude pursuing any other civil or criminal remedy or enforcement action authorized by law.
(c) Each day a separate offense.
Each day a violation continues is a separate offense.
Article 1. Mayor, City Council, and Municipal Agencies
Subtitle 40. Environmental Control Board
§ 40-14. Violations to which subtitle applies.
(e) Provisions and penalties enumerated.
(2) Article 15. Licensing and Regulation
Subtitle 12. Commercial Parking Facilities $1,000
Subtitle 13. Special-Event Parking Lots $750
Subtitle 17. Street Vendors $500
Subtitle 21. Third-Party Food Delivery Platform $1,000
Subtitle 42. Human Trafficking Notice Requirements
1st offense $500
Subsequent offense $1,000
Subtitle 42A. Temporary Shelter Human Trafficking
Notice Requirements $50
Subtitle 43. Public Restrooms $100
Subtitle 48. Short-Term Residential Rentals
§ 48-6. License required {for host} $500
§ 48-16. {Operational requirements for} hosting platforms $1,000
§ 48-21. {Offenses there listed as cause for} denial,
suspension, or revocation of license $500
All other provisions $250
Section 2. And be it further ordained, That this Ordinance takes effect on the 30th day after the date it is enacted.