New law in Suffolk County cracks down on human trafficking
News 12 has reported on multiple human trafficking stories in Suffolk, which officials say has been an issue for years.
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A new law in Suffolk aims to stop human trafficking by no longer allowing hourly bookings at hotels and motels in the county.
There is now a required six-hour minimum for booking a room.
"A lot of the sex trafficking that takes place, takes place in our hotels and motels," said Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine.
Lawmakers hope this helps protect victims of trafficking.
Laura Mullen, of Patchogue, says she was trafficked when she was younger.
"Now with these safety measures that are going to be put in place, we are going to be able to help eradicate the issue that we see here," she said.
News 12 has reported on multiple human trafficking stories in Suffolk, which officials say has been an issue for years.
"Children as young as 12 years old, boys and girls, are being trafficked for sex and labor in our community," said Republican Legislator Chad Lennon, from Rocky Point.
In addition to restricting hourly rates at hotels and motels, the new law in Suffolk requires special training for hospitality staff to better recognize the warning signs of human trafficking.
"I think when you see a lot of people going in and out of a hotel room specifically, that's one of the indicators," Lennon said. "Sometimes an age gap, a discrepancy in the age, is going to be an indicator."
Additional new rules for hotels and motels in Suffolk include keeping security footage for 90 days, holding digitized records for five years and requiring a photo identification for booking a room.
