Evers signs anti-human trafficking bills

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Gov. Tony Evers on Wednesday signed into law bipartisan bills that are designed to combat the rise in human trafficking.

One law creates a human trafficking council starting in July 2025 at the state Department of Justice. It is charged with collecting and maintaining information and data about human trafficking, developing model training and creating a state strategic plan to prevent human trafficking.

Another bill Evers signed requires training in identifying and preventing human trafficking for employees who are likely to have contact with the public and vulnerable people. That includes private security officers, public transit managers, hotel and motel owners and those who own and manage strip clubs.

Expanding training to identify human trafficking “will be a critical tool in our efforts to intervene and prevent human trafficking crimes,” Evers said in a statement.

Evers also signed into law a measure that makes $10 million available in grants for services that support crime victims, including sexual assault and domestic violence abuse survivors. Another bipartisan bill Evers signed will ensure full staffing of an office that assists schools with addressing safety concerns.

The new law would use state money to replace federal pandemic relief funds to fund about 14 positions in the state Department of Justice’s Office of School Safety for nine months.

Other bills Evers signed will increase the penalty for fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer; create a new crime for possessing child sexual abuse material created with Artificial Intelligence technology and create a new crime for possessing sex dolls intended to resemble minors.