Virginia lawmakers delay human trafficking training for short-term rentals

Lawmakers did not advance measures to implement human trafficking awareness training for short-term rental properties, with one patron saying they need to get the language right first. 

Del. Dan Helmer, D-Fairfax, sponsored House Bill 1654, and Sen. Angelia Williams, D-Norfolk, introduced Senate Bill 985. 

The bills would require property owners and their employees to complete awareness training to recognize and report suspected human trafficking. 

Lawmakers and stakeholders still need to work on technical aspects that include getting the language right, and maybe adding accountability measures, according to Helmer.

“We know too much of it is happening in Virginia and around the country,” Helmer said. “Making sure that owners of short-term rentals also are aware of the issues is critically important to making sure we combat human trafficking.” 

Lawmakers passed legislation three years ago that required hotel employees who had direct interaction with guests to complete a human trafficking awareness training course. 

This training program did not include short-term rental properties like Airbnb and Vrbo, but these alternative accommodations are also part of the hospitality industry.

If a new training was developed to accommodate the differences between hotels and short-term rentals, the one-time cost would be $50,000, according to an fiscal estimate from the Department of Criminal Justice Services. The ongoing maintenance and updates to the course would cost $25,000. Two full-time employees would also be needed and cost $203,000 annually. 

The Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee did not support the price tag of the Senate bill, and had concerns for property owners about how compliance with the training would be tracked.

Stakeholders worked on a substitute in the House and discussed utilizing third-party vendors for the training, to minimize associated costs.

Representatives with the hospitality industry and local governments offered public testimonials in support of the bills, including Airbnb, the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging and Travel Association and the Virginia Municipal League.

Carter T. White with the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance said the organization supports the bill wholeheartedly. 

“We believe education is critical to combating human trafficking,” White said. “We see it over our 70 member organizations, this is very, very critical to combat this scourge of human trafficking.” 

Airbnb began a partnership with the Polaris Project in 2018, an anti-trafficking organization and operator of the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline. Airbnb reports they worked with Polaris to develop in-person and virtual training, to better inform the community and educate how to report suspected trafficking. 

North Carolina lawmakers passed similar legislation last year that will take effect July 1. The law requires property managers to have a procedure in place to report human trafficking, and also requires their employees and third-party contractors to have awareness training.

Virginia lawmakers this year had a short, 45-day session and did not have time to finish the bill, Helmer said. There are plans to reintroduce the measure next year. 

“There's a lot more work to do. No person should be trafficked in our time,” Helmer said. “And so every step we can take is meaningful and we're going to keep fighting to do that.”