Bill Text: NY J01688 | 2021-2022 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim January 11, 2022, as Wear Blue Day in the State of New York

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-01-14 - REFERRED TO FINANCE [J01688 Detail]

Download: New_York-2021-J01688-Introduced.html

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Senate Resolution No. 1688

BY: Senator BIAGGI

        MEMORIALIZING  Governor  Kathy  Hochul to proclaim
        January 11, 2022, as Wear Blue Day in the  State  of
        New  York,  in  conjunction  with  the observance of
        National Slavery and  Human  Trafficking  Prevention
        Month

  WHEREAS,  It  is  the  custom  of this Legislative Body to recognize
official days and months that are set aside  to  increase  awareness  of
serious issues that affect the lives of citizens of New York State; and

  WHEREAS,  Attendant  to  such  concern,  and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this  Legislative  Body  is  justly  proud  to
memorialize  Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim January 11, 2022, as Wear
Blue Day in the State of New York, in conjunction with the observance of
National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month; and

  WHEREAS, Blue Campaign  is  a  national  public  awareness  campaign
designed  to  educate  the  public,  law  enforcement and other industry
partners to recognize the indicators of human trafficking,  and  how  to
appropriately respond to possible cases; and

  WHEREAS, National Human Trafficking Awareness Day is recognized each
year  on  January  11th;  in  recognition  of  this  important day, Blue
Campaign hosts a social media campaign called Wear Blue Day; and

  WHEREAS, To raise awareness of human trafficking,  New  Yorkers  are
encouraged to take photos of themselves, friends, family, and colleagues
wearing  blue  clothing  and  share them on social media, along with the
Wear Blue Day hashtag; and

  WHEREAS, In addition, they can share a video explaining why they are
participating in the Wear Blue Day,  organize  a  Challenge  such  as  a
creative  photo  competition,  light up a landmark, or host an event and
encourage participants to wear blue; and

  WHEREAS, In 2007, an interagency task force was  created  which  was
dedicated  to  evaluating  the current circumstances of the existence of
human trafficking in the State of New York, with the lasting resolve  to
bolster  existing response infrastructures, while creating strategies to
aid victims and increase public awareness of the  issue,  including  and
beyond the recognition of Slavery and Human Trafficking Awareness Month;
and

  WHEREAS,  Beginning  in  2010,  by  Presidential  Proclamation, each
January has been designated as National Slavery  and  Human  Trafficking
Prevention Month; and

  WHEREAS,   Following   the  start  of  National  Slavery  and  Human
Trafficking  Prevention  Month,  with   the   help   of   non-government
organizations,  National  Human  Trafficking  Day  began and is observed
annually on January 11th; and

  WHEREAS, The State of New York, was, in 2018, the state  fourth-most
plagued by the scourge of sexual and labor trafficking of individuals of
all   ages,   as   recognized   by   the   Polaris  Project,  a  leading
non-government,  non-profit  voice  in  the  global  march  towards  the
eradication of human trafficking, which equates with modern slavery; and

  WHEREAS,  The  number of sexual and labor trafficking cases reported
each year continues to grow as more light  is  given  to  the  issue  by
various  actors  in  New  York, across the United States, and around the
globe; and

  WHEREAS, In 2018, 492 cases of human trafficking  were  reported  to
the  Human  Trafficking  Hotline in the State of New York, which is more
than 4% of the 10,949 cases reported across the United States; and

  WHEREAS, The scope and magnitude of the issue of slavery  and  human
trafficking is yet to be known, both domestically and abroad; and

  WHEREAS,  Human Trafficking Awareness Month was implemented to raise
awareness among Americans that human trafficking does not just happen in
other countries, but in states and communities across the United States;
and

  WHEREAS, It is imperative that there be greater public awareness  of
this serious issue, and more must be done to eradicate slavery and human
trafficking  at the local, State and national levels; now, therefore, be
it

  RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its  deliberations  to
memorialize  Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim January 11, 2022, as Wear
Blue Day in the State of New York, in conjunction with the observance of
National Slavery and Human  Trafficking  Prevention  Month;  and  be  it
further

  RESOLVED,  That  a  copy  of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of  New
York.