SB61, the National Human Trafficking Database Act, would create a national human trafficking database within the Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime. The bill directs the Office to award grants to eligible state agencies—such as state bureaus of investigation or other state-designated coordinating agencies—to help them collect and report human trafficking data. To receive funding, a state agency must certify that it will identify how it will gather and submit the required information within 180 days of receiving the grant.
The database would compile county-level and state-level information, including arrests, prosecutions, convictions, hotline data, service-provider data, and certain aggregated information from federal and state agencies. It would also include the names and primary services of anti-human trafficking organizations operating in each county, along with rankings of counties by trafficking rates and federal trafficking enforcement data. The bill requires annual updates and reports to Congress, and it includes confidentiality protections intended to prevent disclosure of personally identifying information about survivors and their families.
Impact
The bill would amend Title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 by adding a new federal program for human trafficking data collection and reporting. It would create new grant-making authority for the Office for Victims of Crime, establish reporting obligations for participating state agencies, and require DOJ to publish and maintain a public-facing database. The bill also authorizes appropriations of $50 million annually for state grants and $1 million annually for database administration for fiscal years 2025 through 2028, with funds remaining available until expended. State agencies that participate would need to coordinate with law enforcement, public health, child welfare, tribal, and nonprofit entities to assemble the required data.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and available context, the measure appears to have a generally supportive and bipartisan framing, as it was introduced by Senators Blackburn and Klobuchar, who are from different parties. There is no recorded committee debate or vote history in the provided materials, so there is no evidence of formal opposition or amendment activity. The bill’s structure suggests a consensus-oriented effort focused on improving coordination, data collection, and survivor support in human trafficking cases.
Contention
The main potential points of contention are likely to be the scope of data collection, the administrative burden on state agencies, and privacy concerns. The bill requires detailed county-level reporting and coordination across multiple agencies and organizations, which could be challenging for states with limited infrastructure or incomplete data systems. It also raises sensitivity around survivor confidentiality, since the database would aggregate information from law enforcement, hotlines, child services, and service providers; the bill addresses this by prohibiting disclosure of personally identifying information and limiting DOJ’s use of the data for funding decisions. Another possible issue is the federal funding level and whether states would view the grant conditions as sufficient to offset the reporting obligations.
A resolution supporting the observation of National Trafficking and Modern Slavery Prevention Month during the period beginning on January 1, 2026, and ending on February 1, 2026, to raise awareness of, and opposition to, human trafficking and modern slavery.
A resolution supporting the observation of National Trafficking and Modern Slavery Prevention Month during the period beginning on January 1, 2025, and ending on February 1, 2025, to raise awareness of, and opposition to, human trafficking and modern slavery.