By Roger Adkins, Charleston Gazette-Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The second regular session of the 86th West Virginia Legislature commenced with a burst of activity as lawmakers unveiled a flurry of bills Wednesday.
The Senate and House of Delegates convened at noon and quickly dispensed with housekeeping duties that included the recognition of resignations and new appointments that have occurred since the 2023 session.
Human trafficking resolution OK’d
Of the nearly 200 bills introduced in the Senate, almost 40 were approved on first reading without committee recommendation.
The Senate also introduced several resolutions, including Senate Resolution 4, recognizing January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month.
Speaking on the resolution, Sen. Laura Wakim Chapman, R-Ohio, recommended passage of legislation to strengthen laws surrounding these crimes.
“Victims can be any age, gender, nationality or race and come from any socioeconomic class,” she said. “Human trafficking is the second-largest worldwide criminal enterprise, trailing only drug trafficking. ”
There are an estimated 25 million victims of human trafficking worldwide and a $150 billion global criminal industry around the practice, Chapman said.