FL S0540

Establishes a direct-support organization under the Department of Legal Affairs to provide funding and assistance to the Statewide Council on Human Trafficking, governed by a seven-member board appointed by the Attorney General, Governor, Senate President, and House Speaker

Requires public lodging establishments to provide human trafficking awareness training to housekeeping and front desk employees by January 1, 2020, and massage establishments to train therapists and guest-facing employees by January 1, 2021

Creates the Soliciting for Prostitution Public Database administered by the Department of Law Enforcement, containing names, addresses, photographs, and offenses of persons convicted of soliciting prostitution; first-time offenders may be removed after 5 years without subsequent violations

Requires all certified law enforcement officers to complete four hours of human trafficking identification and investigation training by July 1, 2022, with officer certification becoming inactive until training is completed

Allows human trafficking victims to petition for expunction of criminal records for offenses committed as part of a trafficking scheme, including kidnapping, which was previously excluded from eligibility