ATLANTA – State Representative Houston Gaines (R-Athens) today announced that the State Senate passed House Bill 823. The Senate voted 48-0 to approve the measure, ensuring unanimous passage in both the House and Senate. Rep. Gaines introduced HB 823 on behalf of Governor Brian Kemp and First Lady Marty Kemp to combat human trafficking in Georgia.
“Through House Bill 823, our state will continue to make great strides in protecting survivors and victims of human trafficking while punishing perpetrators,” said Rep. Gaines. “With 3,600 children sold for sex in our state every year, we must strengthen our laws and support survivors. I was honored to carry this legislation on behalf of those who are working to end human trafficking in our state, and I will continue to fight this horrific industry through efforts like HB 823.”
House Bill 823 would impose a lifetime commercial driver’s license ban in Georgia for those who are convicted and knowingly use a commercial vehicle in the commission of a human trafficking crime, which includes trafficking an individual for labor servitude or sexual servitude. This legislation would work in accordance with a federal regulation enacted last summer, reflecting a change made by the U.S. Congress in the “No Human Trafficking on Our Roads Act.” This legislation is one of three legislative measures from this session that seek to end human trafficking in Georgia. Gov. Kemp and First Lady Marty Kemp, along with members of the GRACE Commission, announced these initiatives during a press conference on Tuesday, January 21, 2020.
For more information on HB 823, please click here.
Representative Houston Gaines represents the citizens of District 117, which includes portions of Barrow, Clarke, Jackson and Oconee counties. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2018 and currently serves on the Code Revision, Health & Human Services and Insurance committees.
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