§ 14-144. Findings.

(a)

The board of county commissioners finds that human trafficking is a form of modern day slavery, which involves the exploitation of persons for commercial sex and forced labor, and often subjects victims to force, fraud, and coercion;

(b)

The board finds that traffickers use various techniques to instill fear in victims to keep them enslaved, such as isolation, threats of imprisonment and deportation, violence against family members, and confiscation of passports, visas, or other identification documents;

(c)

The board finds that Chapter 2015-172, Laws of Florida, creates a new statute, F.S. § 787.29, effective January 1, 2016, which vests counties with the exclusive authority to adopt ordinances requiring adult entertainment establishments to post human trafficking public awareness signs in conspicuous locations within such establishments;

(d)

The board finds that under Article VIII, Section 1(g) of the Florida Constitution, the board of county commissioners has the authority to legislate on any issue that impacts the health, safety, and welfare of its citizens on a countywide basis; and

(e)

The board finds that it will serve the public health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of the county to inform the public as to the existence of human trafficking and the reporting thereof through the placement of signs in certain establishments.

(Ord. No. 2016-73, § 1, 8-8-16)