A Vermont Senate committee is considering a bill that could end Vermont’s status as one of five states without a comprehensive law against human trafficking.
Sex offender legislation passed last year addressed trafficking of underage people for sexual purposes. The new bill would extend to enslaving and trafficking in adults and deal with other types of labor aside from sexual exploitation.
Committee members say because Vermont lacks a tough and comprehensive law against trafficking, they fear it could become a pipeline for traffickers and their victims entering the United States from Canada and heading to the New York area.
The bill calls for a study of the issue, with the idea of producing more detailed legislation next year.