LITTLE ROCK – Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed an executive order to address human trafficking on Feb. 14.
According to the executive order, the Secretary of the Department of Human Services will coordinate with the governor’s executive cabinet to develop an approach to address human trafficking, support the victims and prosecute the criminals.
The order says the governor’s executive cabinet and their designees will work with the Secretary of the Department of Human Services to assist in fulfilling the goals and objectives the order.
According to the executive order, the Department of Human Services will undertake the following duties:
- Evaluate current state agency policies and procedures related to human trafficking prevention;
- Evaluate data from across the state government related to human trafficking;
- Evaluate best practices from across the country to combat human trafficking
- Develop a statewide protocol for ensuring a coordinated approach to identify human trafficking victims, investigate human trafficking, access and provide specialized services to victims and identify missing youth who are at risk of human trafficking;
- Work in partnership with local law enforcement, the Attorney General’s Office, state circuit and district judges, juvenile probation officers, Children’s Advocacy Centers, federal partners, human trafficking advocacy non-profits, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and service providers.
The executive order says the chief Data Officer and Chief Privacy Officer of the Division of Information systems will coordinate with the governor’s cabinet secretaries to clear the way for the sharing of all relevant data related to human trafficking victims and to the objectives of the order.
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