State Representative Houston Gaines (R-Athens) introduced House Bill 823 on Monday, January 27, 2020, on behalf of Governor Brian Kemp and First Lady Marty Kemp to combat human trafficking in Georgia.

“Survivors and victims across Georgia are counting on us to bring this evil activity into the light and work together to end this horrific industry,” said Rep. Gaines. “I want to thank the first lady and governor for their commitment to this issue, and I am proud to join with them, the GRACE Commission and advocates across the state to find ways to defeat human trafficking in Georgia.”

Rep. Gaines’ legislation would impose a lifetime commercial driver’s license ban in Georgia for those who have been convicted of a human trafficking crime. The legislation would allow the Georgia Department of Driver’s Services to revoke a person’s commercial driver’s license (CDL) issued in Georgia, as well as permanently disqualify him or her from driving a commercial motor vehicle if he or she is convicted of trafficking an individual for labor servitude or sexual servitude and used a commercial motor vehicle to commit the offense. This legislation would work in accordance with a federal regulation that was created by the U.S. Department of Transportation in 2019.

This legislation is one of three legislative measures that seek to end human trafficking in Georgia. Gov. Kemp and First Lady Marty Kemp, along with members of the GRACE Commission, announced these initiatives during a press conference on Tuesday, January 21, 2020.