Oregon Trafficking Hotline HB 3623

Oregon State Representatives, Brent Barton and Jefferson Smith, are spearheading a bill in the Oregon legislature this month that requests all Oregon bars, liquor stores and restaurants that serve alcohol post a sticker raising awareness about human trafficking. The sticker will include the National Human Trafficking Hotline Phone Number: 1-888-3737-888

On January 14th, the bill was presented in Salem; Portland Mercury article: State Pushes Sex Trafficking Sticker for Bars.

HB 3623 would allow a nonprofit organization to provide the Oregon Liquor Control Commission with stickers or other materials that list the National Human Trafficking Hotline (1-888-3737-888) and/or have information about human trafficking – free of any charge to the state.

The Polaris Project (http://www.polarisproject.org/), a Washington DC nonprofit dedicated to combat human trafficking, has committed to providing said materials. The OLCC in their annual mailing to all licensees will then include a sticker and a cover letter designed to educate establishment owners of the issue and encourage them to post the materials in a conspicuous place.

Calls made to the hotline will reach trained operators: tips will be routed to local police and law enforcement, and victims will be directed to human services partners already in the community.

To learn more about the bill and how you can participate, please attend an educational event sponsored by the OCCV, Wednesday, January 27, 7:30-9:00: OCCV: Advocate to Save Sexually Exploited Youth's Lives in Oregon