Starting today, certain businesses will be required by a new state law to post notices about human trafficking that offer help to possible victims of the crime.
Bars, emergency rooms, hotels, farm labor contractors and other businesses will be required to post the notices, which list a hotline number, in bathrooms and other conspicuous places, or face a fine, according to a release issued last week by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
House Bill 141, signed into law in May by Gov. Nathan Deal during the 2013 session of the General Assembly, imposes a fine of up to $5,000 for noncompliance, GBI spokeswoman Sherry Lang said.
“The new law requires certain businesses and establishments to post a notice to enable persons who are the subject of human trafficking to obtain help and services,” she stated in the release.
The law also requires the GBI to post a model notice on its website. Businesses may model their notices after the example. Notices must be posted by today.
Businesses required to post the notices include adult entertainment establishments, bars, primary airports, passenger and light railway stations, bus stations, truck stops, hospital emergency rooms and urgent care centers.
Also, offices of farm labor contractors and day haulers,  privately operated job recruitment centers, rest areas located along interstate highways, hotels and businesses offering massage or bodywork services by someone who is not a massage therapist are subject to the notice requirement.
“Notices must be 8½ by 11 inches in size, printed in a 16-point font in English, Spanish, and any other language deemed appropriate by the director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation,” the law mandates.
The notice must include the following message:  “Are you or someone you know being sold for sex or made/forced to work for little or no pay and cannot leave? Call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-373-7888 for help. All victims of slavery and human trafficking have rights and are protected by international, federal, and state law,” according to Lang.
Local business owner Perry Sumner said he supports efforts to combat human trafficking.
“We have (seen signs of suspected human trafficking), with people who are clearly in distress,” he said. Sumner owns Pojo’s truck stop on U.S. Highway 301 South near Interstate 16. “We have called police, who have investigated, but what they find out, we really don’t know. We tell our people to be aware and don’t be afraid to call police.”
East Georgia Regional Medical Center Chief Executive Officer Bob Bigley said the hospital would be in compliance as well.
“The hospital is certainly opposed to any form of human trafficking,” he said. “We will certainly comply with any efforts by the GBI to control the problem.”
Brian Johnston, GBI Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge over human trafficking, said the crime has a “significant” presence in Georgia.
“It is not a problem we can really put a number on, since it is an underground network that often involves juveniles,” he said. “You can take a look at online websites and see it is a huge problem.”
House Bill 141 may be viewed at www.legis.ga.gov  and the human trafficking notice may be viewed at http://gbi.georgia.gov.

Holli Deal Bragg may be reached at (912) 489-9414.