Anti-Trafficking Advocacy Coalition (ATAC) at NYU School of Law and Students to End Modern Day Slavery (STEMS) at Columbia University are proud to present the first Politician Scorecard for the Louisiana gubernatorial race.
ATAC and STEMS will be scoring candidates for their record on human trafficking in the upcoming gubernatorial and congressional elections. Candidates will be evaluated based on their full record on human trafficking including voting, statements, and associations with organizations. The goal is to raise the profile of human trafficking in various local and national elections, and to inform voters about candidates’ stances on this important issue.
LOUISIANA
1. Bobby Jindal (Republican):
Governor Jindal has been a consistent supporter of human trafficking legislation. As a Congressman, he backed significant pieces of legislation, and as governor, he was a principal backer for HB 49, eventually signing it into law. Unfortunately, Governor Jindal’s interest in human trafficking is focused primarily on law enforcement and expanding the laws, not on expanded social services for victims.
Governor Jindal’s failure to adopt a holistic approach makes it impossible for him to get a perfect grade. Combating human trafficking requires a holistic approach, which is illustrated in the 3Ps of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act: protection, prevention, and prosecution. Governor Jindal should take more steps to support victim protection through the funding of shelters and other victim services.
2. Niki Bird Papazoglakis:
Although seemingly an intriguing candidate due to her position as policy director of domestic violence awareness organization (PAVE), there is no real substantive information or her stance on human trafficking issues. Furthermore, there is very little information about her campaign as a whole.
State: Louisiana
Name: Bobby Jindal (Republican)
Background: (i.e. current position/occupation; prior involvement in politics; etc.)
Any relevant human trafficking experience?
The incumbent governor of Louisiana since 2008. He also served in the House of Representatives for three years. He has also served as the Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services and was the youngest president of the University of Louisiana system.
Trafficking Record
Voting on legislation (list all votes on all registration relating to human trafficking):
As Congressman, he voted Yes on:
H.R. 3042: Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005
H.R. 972: Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005
H.R. 4472: Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006
H.R. 7311: William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008
As Governor, he signed the following bills into law:
SB 500: Provides for Child Internet Safety (Includes Trafficking Penalties)
HB 564: Creates the crime of trafficking of children for sexual purposes
HB 825: Adds the crimes of human trafficking and trafficking of children for sexual purposes to the list of sex offenses and crimes of violence
HB 49: Amends the crimes of human trafficking and trafficking of children for sexual purpose, creates tougher enforcement standards.
Legislative proposals (list all proposal and initiatives relating to trafficking):
Jindal was one of the primary forces behind Louisiana HB 49, which broadened the state’s human trafficking laws by making it a crime to knowingly facilitate child trafficking through methods such as “advertising” on the internet.
Statements (list all public statements made on trafficking, including the context of the statement and your source of that statement):
“This is a crime that exists all around the world, including Louisiana, which is typically under reported and difficult to detect...We must expand and utilize our laws to secure lengthy sentences and send a message that the crime of human trafficking will not be tolerated in Louisiana.”
“Our best protection measure for our children is to prevent them from being violated – not just to punish the criminals that brutalize them. This new provision in the law will help law enforcement officials target the monsters that post advertisements or list children for sexual services on the internet. These criminals are using the internet to expand the reach of their crime, facilitate their criminal enterprise and sexually exploit our children.”
Stated in a Press Conference with Louisiana Law Enforcement Officials announcing HB 49.
Funding (list all forms of funding allocations made or taken away from anti-trafficking/victim protection and services initiatives):
None specifically found for victim protection and anti-trafficking organizations during his tenure as Governor. The majority of the funding has been allocated for the expansion of law enforcement capabilities in new crime prevention initiatives in conjunction with the expansion of human trafficking laws.
As Congressman, he voted for Trafficking Victims Protection Act and Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act, indirectly helping fund victim protection organizations.
Associations (list any board memberships, trusteeships, other connections to organizations that help combat trafficking or protect victims (or anything that you feel defeat the cause)):
LOUISIANA
State: Louisiana
Name: Niki Bird Papazoglakis
Background: Policy director of PAVE: Promoting Awareness, Victim Empowerment
Trafficking Record:
Voting on legislation: N/A
Legislative proposals: N/A
Statements: N/A
Funding : N/A
Associations:
Affiliations with domestic violence organizations through her work as the policy director of PAVE.
