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Bill combating human trafficking at hotels is back, but different

Senator Lauren Book is back with a bill that aims to stop human trafficking at hotels, but this year's version is more likely to pass.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Senator Lauren Book filed a new version of her old bill aimed at cracking down on hotels where human trafficking occurs.

Last year, a bill that would have held hotels accountable for turning a blind eye to sex trafficking mysteriously died just before the session ended. 

Some believe Florida's powerful hotel industry was to blame.

"Unfortunately, we can only assume that the bill was stalled as a result of politics as usual and lobbying. We know that Disney is the leader and epicenter of Florida's hotel and lodging industry and we have yet to hear from them as to their position on this bill," Karina Perez, a human trafficking attorney based in Tampa, said in 2018.

Read here: Human trafficking bill dies despite victims' horror stories

This time around, Sen. Book isn't playing politics. She said she wanted to file a bill that has a chance of passing and helping victims.

"Fights and the politics from last year were not the things that I wanted to concern myself with," Book said. "It was about creating a product that we could all work together and support."

This year's version of the bill (SB 540) still requires hotel and motel employees undergo training to help spot and report human trafficking.

The bill also pushes for more training for law enforcement, the creation of a registry with buyers and sellers, and the creation of support organization to help trafficking victims.

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