Drafter
Clerk 08/25/2016
Title
AN ORDINANCE establishing a task force on labor trafficking and economic exploitation and requiring a report with recommendations on the steps the county can take in addressing systematic issues related to labor trafficking and economic exploitation.
Body
PREAMBLE:
King County is the thirteenth-largest and second-fastest-growing county in the United States. The county's rapid population growth is in great part attributed to first-generation immigrants from around the world, pursuing economic opportunities and better lives for themselves and their families. Because of its many marinas, airports, Interstate 5 and Interstate 90 freeways, King County has been the economic hub for the State, where very large numbers of imported and exported goods pass through to engage in international trades and transactions. Washington is the most trade-dependent state and is located equidistant between Asia and Europe.
Washington State Law defines "human trafficking" or "trafficking" as an act conducted for the purpose of exploitation, including forced labor, by particular means, for example, threat of use of force or other forms of coercion, abduction, fraud or deception, abuse of power, or abuse of position of vulnerability.
Washington is considered to be a "hot spot" in an international trafficking circuit. Human trafficking is the world's second-largest and fastest-growing underground economy.
Although there are extensive studies to assess the issue of sex trafficking in Washington state, and there has been a concerted effort on behalf of King County to address the local issue of sex trafficking and domestic sexual exploitation, very little is known about the issue of labor trafficking and exploitation in Washington state, nor the impact King County's economy, commercial exchanges and procurement policies have on labor trafficking and economic exploitation of domestic and international workers.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. A. The executive shall convene a task force to assess and address the systemic issue of labor trafficking and economic exploitation in King County.
B. The human labor trafficking and economic exploitation task force should include, but not be limited to, representatives from the following:
1. The King County council;
2. The King County Executive’s Office;
3. The department of community and human services;
4. The King County finance and business operations division;
5. The King County prosecuting attorney's office;
6. The department of adult and juvenile detention;
7. The King County sheriff's office;
8. The City of Seattle and King County board of health;
9. The Port of Seattle;
10. The King County Labor Council;
11. Washington Advisory Committee on Trafficking;
12. The Coalition of Immigrants, Refugees & Communities of Color;
13. Northwest Immigrant Rights Project;
14. The University of Washington Women's Center/Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force;
15. Seattle Against Slavery;
16. The Washington Anti-Trafficking Response Network; and
17. A local law enforcement agency;
18. The Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking Employers Alliance;
19. Organizations representing communities of color;
20. Large corporations doing business in King County;
21. Small business in King County; and
22. Agricultural industry/farm workers organizations;
B. The work of the task force shall include, but not be limited to:
1. Consulting with county departments, businesses and community groups to determine the effectiveness of agencies’ delivery of services to victims and survivors, especially those who have arrived from other countries to pursue economic opportunities and experience labor trafficking and economic exploitation;
2. Reviewing current county standards and practices in purchasing, procurement, contracting, and supply chain management, and recommending best practices in ethical sourcing that protect workers and will ensure that all transactions are made through clean supply chains; and,
3. Reviewing current county practices in evaluating and monitoring the business operations, labor policies, and vendor management practices of contracted companies, and recommend best practices for supply chain management.
C. The task force shall also conduct outreach activities to obtain community and professional input and shall use that input to inform the Executive’s report. Outreach activities should include, but not be limited to, holding open public forums and actively soliciting written, electronic or oral community comments.
D. The task force shall coordinate with other regional and local human trafficking efforts for the purpose of avoiding duplication of efforts. This coordination may include consideration of regional and local groups currently reviewing all forms of human trafficking, including, but not limited to, local, state and federal government groups and any groups formed by community-based organizations, service providers, or faith-based organizations.
SECTION 2. The executive shall develop a final, comprehensive report based on the work of the task force, including recommendations on the steps the county can take in addressing issues related to labor trafficking and economic exploitation. The report shall include at least the following:
A. A recommendation of what kind of study should be conducted to determine the extent and scope of labor trafficking in the county, including forms of economic exploitation, the number of people who experience economic exploitation, where it is taking place, at-risk populations and the nations of origin of the individuals experiencing exploitation;
B. A list of the governmental and other local agencies that currently interact with the potential victims of labor trafficking;
C. An analysis of the federal, state and local laws and regulations related to labor trafficking, labor standards, procurement standards, purchasing standards, ethical sourcing, and supply chain management;
D. A review of other county ordinances, rules and practices that can reduce labor trafficking and economic exploitation through the county's procurement, purchasing, contracting and any other methods that advance ethical sourcing;
E. Identification of existing national and international best practices for reducing labor trafficking and economic exploitation, including helping victims and survivors, and increasing awareness of labor trafficking;
F. Recommendations for best practices in business operations, including procurement, purchasing, ethical sourcing, and supply chain management, and potential enforcement efforts county agencies might undertake to fully enforce these laws and regulations, along with a listing of agencies with the authority to enforce the laws and regulations;
G. Strategies to reduce labor trafficking and economic exploitation, to support victims, to train businesses and employees and to increase community awareness of labor trafficking and exploitation;
H. An implementation plan for those recommendations that can be implemented by county agencies and their associated costs; and
I. A description of how the report's recommendations will align with other regional and local human trafficking efforts.
SECTION 3. A. The task force members and two co-chairs, other than the identified county elected officials designated in Section 1.B., shall be appointed by the executive no later than December 1, 2016. At least thirty days before the appointments are made, the executive shall notify all councilmembers by letter of the persons the executive intends to appoint. The executive shall also, by electronic mail or letter, notify all councilmembers of persons who will be appointed by at least seven days before their final appointments. At least seven days before the appointments, the executive shall also, by electronic mail or letter, notify all councilmembers of the final persons who will be appointed. Upon appointment of the task force, the executive shall notify all councilmembers by letter of the appointments and file a paper and electronic copy with the clerk of the council. The task force shall hold its first meeting no later than January 31, 2017, and meet quarterly thereafter.
B. The executive shall reimburse task force members for mileage at the standard county reimbursement rate for travel to and from scheduled task force meetings and for parking at meetings outside of county facilities. Task force members attending meetings at county facilities shall have parking in the county garage paid by the executive while members attend meetings or conduct business related to the task force.
C. The executive shall provide staffing and resources to effectively support the work of the task force and its outreach activities.
D. The task force expires June 1, 2018.
SECTION 4. A. By August 1, 2017, the task force shall provide a progress report to the council. The progress report shall be filed in the form of a paper original and an electronic copy with the clerk of the council, who shall retain the original and provide an electronic copy to all councilmembers and the lead staff of the health, housing and human services committee, or its successor.
B. By December 1, 2018, the task force shall file its final report in the form of a paper original and an electronic copy with the clerk of the council, who shall retain the
original and provide an electronic copy to all councilmembers and the lead staff of the health and human services committee, or its successor.