Legislative Priorities — LEAD Against Trafficking
Legislation That Demands Action.
LEAD mobilizes citizens nationally to engage both chambers of Congress on targeted anti-trafficking legislation. When constituents speak, lawmakers listen.
Federal Bills We're Fighting For Right Now.
Bill Number
H.R. 1144
The Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act
H.R. 1144 allocates over $31 million to the Department of Health and Human Services specifically for youth-focused prevention. It funds education programs in schools, provides life-skills and wrap-around social services for at-risk kids, and targets high-intensity child sex and labor trafficking areas — addressing the crisis before it starts.
Why This Bill Matters
Traffickers increasingly target vulnerable youth through online spaces and local communities
Schools and local social services often lack the funding or specialized training to spot warning signs
Funds education programs and life-skills services for at-risk youth in their own school districts
Parents, teachers, and community leaders can directly connect this federal funding to the safety of local children
Make Your Voice Heard
LEAD makes it simple and efficient to voice your support. The process is quick:
- 1.Enter your email and address
- 2.Receive an automated call and record your name on your phone
- 3.Click your legislator buttons to initiate queued calls
- 4.Share the petition link in the thank you email received
No script to read. No live speaking. Just your recorded name like a digital signature on an online petition.
Take Action NowBill Number
H.R. 6998
The Renewed Hope Act
H.R. 6998, the Renewed Hope Act, adds dedicated child exploitation human resources to the Department of Homeland Security — strengthening the federal government's capacity to investigate, prosecute, and disrupt trafficking networks that prey on children.
Why This Bill Matters
Expands DHS resources specifically dedicated to child exploitation cases
Strengthens the federal infrastructure needed to pursue traffickers at scale
Closes a critical gap between the scope of the crisis and available enforcement capacity
Protects the most vulnerable — children — from predators who exploit systemic under-resourcing
Make Your Voice Heard
LEAD makes it simple and efficient to voice your support. The process is quick:
- 1.Enter your email and address
- 2.Receive an automated call and record your name on your phone
- 3.Click your legislator buttons to initiate queued calls
- 4.Share the petition link in the thank you email received
No script to read. No live speaking. Just your recorded name like a digital signature on an online petition.
Take Action NowOhio Bills We're Fighting For Right Now.
Bill Number
H.B. 47
The Human Trafficking Prevention Act
Sponsored by Representatives Josh Williams and Nick Santucci, HB 47 radically increases criminal penalties for trafficking. It expands standard sentences from 10–15 years to a strict mandatory minimum of 15 years — and if the victim is a minor or has a developmental disability, the penalty escalates to 25 years to life in prison.
Why This Bill Matters
Passed the Ohio House 93-0 but is stalled in the Senate Judiciary Committee
Near-universal public support — needs a grassroots push to force a Senate floor vote
Escalates penalties to 25 years to life when victims are minors or have developmental disabilities
A VoicePetition campaign targeting Senate Judiciary Committee members creates an unavoidable demand to act
Make Your Voice Heard
LEAD makes it simple and efficient to voice your support. The process is quick:
- 1.Enter your email and address
- 2.Receive an automated call and record your name on your phone
- 3.Click your legislator buttons to initiate queued calls
- 4.Share the petition link in the thank you email received
No script to read. No live speaking. Just your recorded name like a digital signature on an online petition.
Take Action NowBill Number
H.B. 88
Fentanyl & Human Trafficking Crackdown Act
Sponsored by Representatives Cindy Abrams and Phil Plummer, HB 88 cracks down on the intersection of drug trafficking, fentanyl distribution, and human trafficking — targeting the "coercion corridors" where traffickers weaponize chemical dependency to trap and exploit victims.
Why This Bill Matters
Passed the Ohio House and is pending in the Senate Judiciary Committee
Backed by the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police and Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association
Directly opposed by well-funded lobbying groups — constituent voices are critical to counter the pushback
Mobilizing a localized "audible wave" to swing-vote senators can directly offset lobbyist pressure
Make Your Voice Heard
LEAD makes it simple and efficient to voice your support. The process is quick:
- 1.Enter your email and address
- 2.Receive an automated call and record your name on your phone
- 3.Click your legislator buttons to initiate queued calls
- 4.Share the petition link in the thank you email received
No script to read. No live speaking. Just your recorded name like a digital signature on an online petition.
Take Action Now