HB432 Alabama 2020 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Arnold MooneyRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2020

Title

Lodging establishments, human trafficking training for employees required, posting of signs at establishments, enforcement by Attorney General, civil fines, limitation of liability for reporting and lodging establishments

Summary

HB432 would require public lodging establishments in Alabama to train employees on human trafficking awareness, post notices, and follow reporting and enforcement rules with penalties for noncompliance.

What This Bill Does

Public lodging establishments must train every employee within 180 days of hire or the act’s effective date and post human trafficking awareness signs by October 1, 2020. The bill sets up reporting procedures, requires a prevention policy, and provides immunity for good-faith reports and liability protection for compliant establishments; the Attorney General can enforce the law and levy civil fines. The law also directs state agencies to book lodging for state business in compliant establishments and creates a mechanism to fund the Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force with collected fines.

Who It Affects

• Public lodging establishment operators and their employees: must complete training, post signs, implement reporting procedures and policies, and may face civil fines for noncompliance.
• State agencies and the Alabama Attorney General/Alabama Public Health Department: enforcement of the act, maintaining a compliance list, guiding state bookings to compliant establishments, and collection of fines to fund the task force.

Key Provisions

• Section 1: Public lodging operators must provide human trafficking awareness training to every employee within 180 days of hire or within 180 days of the act's effective date.
• Section 2: Training content includes definitions, identification of at-risk individuals and signs of trafficking, differences between labor and sex trafficking in lodging, reporting roles, and contact information for the National Human Trafficking Hotline and local law enforcement; annual certification to the Alabama Department of Public Health that all employees employed more than 180 days have completed training.
• Section 3: By October 1, 2020, required signage must be posted in a conspicuous location, available in English and languages spoken by more than 10% of employees.
• Section 4: Establish procedures for reporting suspected trafficking to the National Hotline or local law enforcement; reporting in good faith is immune from liability.
• Section 5: Compliant operators and employees are protected from liability for acts related to trafficking by a third party, unless they knowingly assist in trafficking.
• Section 6: The Alabama Department of Public Health maintains a compliance list and provides a cure period; state agencies should prefer compliant lodging for travel; the Attorney General will set fines for violations and deposit fines into the Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force fund.
• Section 7: The act takes effect October 1, 2020.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Lodging Establishments