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New Laws Aim To Help Human Trafficking Victims

Office of State Sen. Karen McConnaughay
Gov. Bruce Rauner signs House Bill 2820 into law. It creates a task force on human trafficking.

More than ninety cases of human trafficking in Illinois have been reported so far this year. Gov. Bruce Rauner recently signed legislation about efforts to combat it and to assist its victims. One bill created a statewide task force on the issue. 

The task force will work with others in the state, including one in Cook County, says Sen. Sponsor Karen McConnaughay, a Republican from St. Charles. The task force is expected to give its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly by June 30, 2017.

Another piece of legislation will help immigrant victims to get state assistance such as food, cash and medical to up to a year as they wait for visa approval and can receive federal aid. 

trafficking_collins____.mp3
State. Sen. Jacqueline Collins speaks with reporter Maureen McKinney.

State Sen. sponsor Jacqueline Collins, a Democrat from Chicago, called human trafficking "modern day slavery."

 

Maureen Foertsch McKinney is news editor and equity and justice beat reporter for NPR Illinois, where she has been on the staff since 2014 after Illinois Issues magazine’s merger with the station. She joined the magazine’s staff in 1998 as projects editor and became managing editor in 2003. Prior to coming to the University of Illinois Springfield, she was an education reporter and copy editor at three local newspapers, including the suburban Chicago Daily Herald, She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Eastern Illinois University and a master’s degree in English from UIS.
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