Existing law authorizes the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to issue specialized license plates. Under existing law, a state agency is authorized to apply to the DMV to sponsor a specialized license plate program, and the DMV is required to issue those license plates if the agency meets certain requirements. The DMV is required to charge specified fees for certain services related to the issuance of those plates. Existing law requires the Office of Emergency Services (OES) to apply to the DMV to sponsor a domestic violence and sexual assault awareness license plate program, and establishes the California Domestic Violence Prevention Fund in the State Treasury for the deposit of the revenue derived from these license plates. These funds are allocated, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to OES for purposes of funding the Family Violence Prevention Program.

This bill would establish the survivors of human trafficking grant program administered by OES to benefit survivors of human trafficking and would require the OES to apply to the DMV to sponsor a human trafficking awareness license plate program. The bill would establish the Survivors of Human Trafficking License Plate Fund for the deposit of revenue derived from these license plates and would require that funds from these license plates be allocated, upon an appropriation by the Legislature, to the OES for the purpose of funding the survivors of human trafficking grant program. The bill would require the OES to provide grants to community-based organizations, as specified, that provide direct services to vulnerable individuals in areas with high concentrations of human trafficking, and would require OES to submit a report annually to the Legislature, as specified.