- Felicia Matlosz
- 559-304-9286
SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today signed Assembly Bill 1888 authored by Assemblymember Dr. Joaquin Arambula (D-Fresno) as part of a package of bills aimed at protecting victims of human trafficking and holding predators culpable for their actions.
The signing was done this afternoon in Sacramento.
AB 1888 will establish a new Labor Trafficking Unit within the California Department of Justice and better coordinate other efforts to target labor trafficking. The aim is to investigate and prosecute perpetrators who force or coerce vulnerable people into jobs with little or no pay, often in poor and unsafe working conditions.
Assemblymember Arambula began pursuing this legislation more than two years ago. For the current legislative session, California Attorney General Rob Bonta became a bill sponsor with La Cooperativa Campesina de California. In addition, Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino) is the bill’s joint author, and the California Native American Legislative Caucus selected AB 1888 as a priority bill.
Assemblymember Dr. Joaquin Arambula said: “I want to thank Governor Newsom for signing AB 1888 and Attorney General Bonta for supporting this important effort to protect all workers from heinous and inhumane treatment. I also deeply appreciate that Assemblymember James C. Ramos was a joint author and that the California Native American Legislative Caucus this year made AB 1888 one of their priority bills.
“I’ve worked on this legislation for more than two years because labor trafficking preys on workers by making them vulnerable to threats regarding their immigration status, threats to their families’ safety, and threats involving their wages. This legislation – which includes establishing a new Labor Trafficking Unit within the Department of Justice – is a solid step forward in the effort to stop this horrible abuse and ensure that all workers in California are safe and respected.”
Attorney General Rob Bonta said: “AB 1888 is a step in the right direction to fight labor trafficking in California. A new unit in DOJ that will be created by the passing of AB 1888 will serve as a vital hub for receiving reports and complaints about labor trafficking from law enforcement and will ensure that these cases are directed to the right agencies for thorough investigation, prosecution, or other necessary actions. Additionally, it will prioritize offering technical assistance and training to enforcement agencies, specifically targeting the issue of labor trafficking. I want to thank Assemblymember Arambula, Assemblymember Ramos, our legislative partners and Governor Newsom for their work toward this important goal.”
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