Assembly Bill 2020 (AB 2020) requires law enforcement agencies to establish and maintain a written policy on interacting with human trafficking survivors by December 1, 2026, based on guidelines to be developed by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST).
Law enforcement agencies must use these guidelines to create their own policies. These policies must require officers to inform human trafficking survivors of their right to have an advocate present during interviews and examinations, and of the benefits of advocates; to contact the appropriate agency if an advocate is requested and obtain written waivers if a human trafficking survivor declines an advocate; and to provide human trafficking survivors with referrals to service organizations, including immigration services. The law also mandates that agency policies require the law enforcement agency to establish a practice for referring survivors to the county social services department, and work with community-based organizations to provide referrals to services that are consistent with a survivor’s culture, sexual orientation, and gender identity.
(AB 2020 adds sections 23020 through 23026 to the Welfare and Institutions Code)