ATLANTA (December 18, 2012) – Sen. Jack Murphy (R-Cumming) attended the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) from Dec. 5-7, 2012. The NCSL is a bipartisan organization that serves the legislators and staffs of the nation’s 50 states, its commonwealths and territories.
During the NCSL forum, Murphy served as the Vice Chair of the NCSL Law and Criminal Justice Committee, one of 10 committees that deal with both state and state-and-federal issues. He participated in discussions from human trafficking to criminal justice reform.
“Forums like this bring together state and federal lawmakers to ensure the crafting of beneficial public policy for every level of the country,” said Murphy. “The community knowledge-base gathered at this forum produced a bipartisan atmosphere that will help form policies to protect our children and vulnerable populations and bring about positive policy reforms.”
As part of his visit, Murphy met at the White House with state and federal officials responsible for federal strategies to address human trafficking and discuss intergovernmental approaches to deter and respond to the problem. He also attended a series of events aimed at combating human slavery, including the NCSL human trafficking forum, a luncheon with actress and former U.N. goodwill ambassador Mira Sorvino and a meeting with one of the nation’s leading human trafficking advocacy organizations, Polaris Group.
In the U.S., experts estimate 18,000 people are trafficked annually. In Georgia, on average, 100 adolescent girls are sexually exploited for money in one night, according to the Schapiro Group report, an Atlanta-based research, marketing and communications firm.
Acknowledging that human trafficking is a local problem, Georgia’s General Assembly has enacted several pieces of legislation to combat sex trafficking, including House Bill 200. This measure further strengthens protections for the victims of these crimes and increased penalties for individuals found guilty of human trafficking.
Murphy is a member of the state Senate Public Safety Committee, which reviews legislation concerning the maintenance of the security and well-being of Georgia’s citizens from physical violence or danger.
RELEASE
For Immediate Release:
December 18, 2012
For Information Contact:
Jennifer Yarber, Deputy Director
Kate Greer, Broadcast Specialist
Kate.Greer@senate.ga.gov
404.656.0028