INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A bill aimed at combating human trafficking in Indiana was on its way to the governor’s desk after receiving final approval Thursday from both chambers of the General Assembly.
House Bill 1416, authored by Rep. John Bartlett, D-Indianapolis, would require gas stations and rest areas across the state to display posters with information about human trafficking and the National Human Trafficking Hotline. The posters must be placed in restrooms or in other visible locations on the premises.
If enacted, Indiana would join a growing number of states implementing similar awareness campaigns in public spaces frequented by travelers.
“This bill is a great first step in curbing human trafficking in our state,” Bartlett said in a statement issued after the bill’s passage. “Unfortunately, this abhorrent practice is a multi-billion-dollar industry around the world.”
Bartlett cited Indiana’s status as a transportation hub as a key reason for the legislation, noting that approximately 80 million people travel through the state each year.
“It’s impossible to know how many of these individuals are victims of human trafficking,” he said in the statement. “If having these posters on display in our gas stations and rest areas can save just one life, it’s worth it.”
Bartlett also expressed gratitude to his fellow lawmakers and the survivors who testified in support of the bill during committee hearings.
Gov. Mike Braun has not yet indicated whether he will sign the measure into law.