(a) There is established a Trafficking in Persons Council that shall be within the Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity and Opportunity for administrative purposes only.

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(b) The council shall consist of the following members: (1) The Chief State’s Attorney, or a designee; (2) the Chief Public Defender, or a designee; (3) the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection, or the commissioner’s designee; (4) the Labor Commissioner, or the commissioner’s designee; (5) the Commissioner of Social Services, or the commissioner’s designee; (6) the Commissioner of Public Health, or the commissioner’s designee; (7) the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services, or the commissioner’s designee; (8) the Commissioner of Children and Families, or the commissioner’s designee; (9) the Commissioner of Consumer Protection, or the commissioner’s designee; (10) the Commissioner of Developmental Services, or the commissioner’s designee; (11) the director of the Basic Training Division of the Police Officer Standards and Training Council, or the director’s designee; (12) the Child Advocate, or the Child Advocate’s designee; (13) the Victim Advocate, or the Victim Advocate’s designee; (14) a chairperson of the Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity and Opportunity, or the chairperson’s designee; (15) one representative of the Office of Victim Services of the Judicial Branch appointed by the Chief Court Administrator; (16) a municipal police chief appointed by the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association, or a designee; (17) the Commissioner of Education, or the commissioner’s designee; (18) an adult victim of trafficking, appointed by the Governor; (19) a judge of the Superior Court, appointed by the Chief Court Administrator; (20) a state’s attorney appointed by the Chief State’s Attorney; (21) a public defender appointed by the Chief Public Defender; and (22) fifteen public members appointed as follows: The Governor shall appoint three members, one of whom shall represent victims of commercial exploitation of children, one of whom shall represent sex trafficking victims who are children and one of whom shall represent a coalition of children’s advocacy centers and multidisciplinary teams that are dedicated to serving child abuse victims and their families, the president pro tempore of the Senate shall appoint two members, one of whom shall represent the Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence and one of whom shall represent an organization that provides civil legal services to low-income individuals, the speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint two members, one of whom shall represent the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence and one of whom shall represent the Connecticut Lodging Association, the majority leader of the Senate shall appoint two members, one of whom shall represent an organization that deals with behavioral health needs of women and children and one of whom shall represent the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness, the majority leader of the House of Representatives shall appoint two members, one of whom shall represent an organization that advocates on social justice and human rights issues and one of whom shall represent the Connecticut Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, the minority leader of the Senate shall appoint two members, one of whom shall represent the Connecticut Immigrant and Refugee Coalition and one of whom shall represent massage therapists, and the minority leader of the House of Representatives shall appoint two members, one of whom shall represent the Motor Transport Association of Connecticut, Inc. and one of whom shall represent an organization that works with adult victims of trafficking.

(c) The chairperson of the Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity and Opportunity, or a designee, shall serve as chairperson of the council. The members of the council shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.

(d) The council shall: (1) Hold meetings to provide updates and progress reports, (2) coordinate the collection, analysis and dissemination of data regarding human trafficking, and (3) consult with governmental and nongovernmental organizations in developing recommendations to strengthen state and local efforts to prevent trafficking, protect and assist victims of trafficking and prosecute traffickers. The council shall meet at least three times per year.

(e) The council may request data and other information from state and local agencies to carry out its duties under this section.

(f) (1) The council shall:

(A) Develop a list of key indicators that a person is a victim of trafficking;

(B) Develop a standardized curriculum and conduct training for doctors, nurses, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, emergency medical services personnel, teachers, school counselors, school administrators and personnel from the Department of Children and Families and the Department of Public Health to identify victims of human trafficking, using the list of key indicators developed under subparagraph (A) of this subdivision, and assist such victims;

(C) Develop and conduct training for personnel from the Departments of Children and Families and Public Health on methods for identifying children in foster care who may be at risk of becoming victims of trafficking;

(D) Develop a plan for mental health, support and substance abuse programs for individuals identified as victims of trafficking and those arrested for prostitution in violation of section 53a-82. The plan shall provide for (i) the diversion of victims of trafficking and prostitution offenders into community-based treatment and support services, including, but not limited to, substance abuse recovery, housing, healthcare, job training, treatment and mental health support, and (ii) after the successful completion of the program, the dismissal of any related criminal charges against the accused.

(2) The council shall include such plan and any recommendations for legislation to implement the plan as part of any report submitted pursuant of subsection (h) of this section not later than January 1, 2018.

(g) The council shall examine the challenges faced by victims of trafficking who are persons without legal immigration status. The council may recommend services that such persons could benefit from and legislation to provide such services as part of any report submitted pursuant to subsection (h) of this section.

(h) Not later than January 1, 2008, and annually thereafter, the council shall submit a report of its activities, including any recommendations for legislation, to the General Assembly in accordance with section 11-4a.

(i) For the purposes of this section, “trafficking” means all acts involved in the recruitment, abduction, transport, harboring, transfer, sale or receipt of persons, within national or across international borders, through force, coercion, fraud or deception, to place persons in situations of slavery or slavery-like conditions, forced labor or services, such as forced prostitution or sexual services, domestic servitude, bonded sweatshop labor or other debt bondage.