A bipartisan bill led by U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath requiring federal labor inspectors to be trained to spot human trafficking became law in late October.

President Donald Trump signed the Enhancing Detection of Human Trafficking Act, as reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in a report reposted by McBath's office. McBath, identified in the report as D-Marietta, co-sponsored the measure with House Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg, a Michigan Republican.

The law requires the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to train its employees on strategies to identify human trafficking. Workers who encounter suspected trafficking during workplace inspections will be required to report it to law enforcement.

The idea, according to a press release from McBath's office, is that DOL employees are already on the ground conducting workplace inspections. With training, they could spot trafficking behavior in real time.

Bipartisan path through Congress

The House passed H.R. 4307 on March 3, according to the House Education and Workforce Committee. The Senate passed it unanimously. McBath's office announced the Senate vote Oct. 5, saying the bill was headed to the president's desk.

Sens. Jon Husted, an Ohio Republican, and Elissa Slotkin, a Michigan Democrat, led the companion bill in the Senate.

"Human trafficking can hide in plain sight, and this bill will help more people recognize the warning signs. … By giving Department of Labor employees the right training, we can help identify victims sooner and get potential cases to law enforcement," Walberg said in a statement after the Senate vote.

McBath said in a prior statement, issued when the legislation was first introduced, that the measure targets a crime exploiting the vulnerable.

"Traffickers prey upon the most vulnerable in our society, targeting women and children," McBath said. "This effort will enhance the Department of Labor's ability to identify and protect victims as well as hold perpetrators accountable."

Georgia context

The new federal law adds a layer to anti-trafficking efforts already underway in Georgia. Attorney General Chris Carr created a statewide Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit in 2019 with support from Gov. Brian Kemp. That unit, based in Atlanta with satellite offices in Macon and Augusta, has secured more than 70 convictions and rescued or assisted more than 200 children, according to the Georgia Attorney General's office.

Nationally, the Human Trafficking Hotline has identified 127,938 cases since its inception, involving 268,723 victims, according to hotline data. Georgia's prosecution unit has led or assisted more than 330 investigations statewide.