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The Suffolk Legislature approved a bill Tuesday that will institute increased record-keeping requirements at hotels and motels, among other measures officials say will help combat human trafficking in the county.
Legislator Chad Lennon (D – District 6), who sponsored the bill, said in a prepared statement that the legislation is a “first step.”
“There will be more action to come from the Legislature to fight back against anyone who seeks to traffic anyone in our county,” said Lennon.
Among its provisions, the legislation:
- Specifies information to be kept in hotel and motel guest registers
- Requires that such information be kept for certain extended time periods
- Requires that records be made available for authorized law enforcement, rescue and emergency personnel and relevant municipal officials
- Prohibits hourly rate options of less than six hours in duration for rooms with sleeping accommodations
- Requires hotel operators to provide human trafficking recognition training in accordance with section 205 of the New York General Business Law to core employees
In a statement, County Executive Ed Romaine said he intended to sign the measure into law.
“Suffolk County will stay vigilant and do all we can to prevent and, if needed, prosecute the heinous crime of human trafficking. Legislator Lennon’s bill an important step in preventing anonymity and potential havens for traffickers,” Romaine said.
News 12 has reported on multiple human trafficking stories in the county this year, including a Medford woman who was arrested over the summer.
In October, News 12 senior reporter Tara Rosenblum’s investigation into hotels and motels in New York not complying with laws enacted to prevent human trafficking brought the issue into the spotlight.
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