Executive Summary
- House Bill 1043 proposes creating the Georgia Child and Youth Trafficking Care Coordination Office under the Department of Human Services.
- The National Human Trafficking Hotline identified 342 cases and 573 victims in Georgia during 2024.
- The legislation defines “familial trafficking” as aggravated child abuse, potentially allowing for emergency removal of victims.
- Child victims would receive immunity from prosecution for offenses resulting from their trafficking.
- If signed into law, the new office and regulations would become effective on July 1, 2026.
Georgia lawmakers have introduced legislation to establish a dedicated state office aimed at coordinating resources and protection for child victims of human trafficking. House Bill 1043, which advanced through a second reading in the Judiciary Juvenile Subcommittee on January 29, seeks to centralize the state’s response to exploitation through the creation of the Georgia Child and Youth Trafficking Care Coordination Office.
According to data released by the National Human Trafficking Hotline, the organization received 876 signals from Georgia in 2024. These reports led to the identification of 342 specific cases involving 573 victims. While demographic data remains incomplete, the hotline noted that among the 328 victims for whom age data was available, 76 were minors. Additionally, the Georgia Crime Information Center reported 316 cases of human trafficking in 2024, though it noted that reporting from law enforcement agencies varies in consistency.
If enacted, House Bill 1043 would place the new coordination office under the Department of Human Services. The proposed office would be mandated to establish a statewide hotline and reporting portal, develop a comprehensive care coordination system, and maintain a statewide data registry. The legislation also outlines requirements for regional offices and mandates that the new agency provide training and resources for professionals working with victims.
The bill introduces significant legal definitions regarding domestic abuse. It proposes a new abuse indicator for the Division of Family and Children Services termed “familial trafficking.” This is defined as trafficking committed by a parent, guardian, relative, or caregiver’s partner. Under the proposed law, familial trafficking would be classified as aggravated child abuse, a designation that could authorize the emergency removal of a child from the home.
Furthermore, the legislation includes provisions for prosecution immunity, stating that child victims would not be prosecuted for offenses resulting directly from their trafficking. The bill requires local school boards and municipalities to adopt trafficking response protocols aligned with model policies created by the new office. If passed by the House and Senate and signed by Governor Brian Kemp, the bill would take effect on July 1, 2026.
Legislative Impact
The proposal of House Bill 1043 represents a shift toward state-managed centralization of trafficking resources, moving away from the previous reliance on external non-profits for hotline operations. By legally defining “familial trafficking” as aggravated child abuse, the state is establishing a clearer statutory pathway for intervention in cases involving custodial exploitation. The successful implementation of this bill would require significant inter-agency cooperation between schools, local law enforcement, and the Department of Human Services to ensure the proposed data systems and regional offices function effectively.
