Bill Overview
Title: HOTEL Act of 2022
Description: This bill requires federal agencies to ensure, to the greatest extent practicable, that commercial accommodations for agency employees are booked with a hotel or motel that enforces a zero-tolerance policy regarding severe forms of trafficking in persons.
Sponsors: Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4]
Target Audience
Population: Victims and potential victims of human trafficking
Estimated Size: 500000
- The primary group of individuals affected by this bill are victims and potential victims of human trafficking within hotels and motels.
- This bill aims to reduce or eliminate human trafficking activities in the lodging industry by encouraging federal agencies to select accommodations with zero-tolerance policies.
- Secondary populations that might be impacted include employees of hotels and motels, who would need to be trained and enforce the zero-tolerance policy.
- The lodging industry as a whole may experience changes, especially those establishments that do not already have strong anti-trafficking measures in place.
- The bill indirectly impacts guests at hotels and motels, as increased anti-trafficking measures can contribute to a safer environment.
Reasoning
- The primary impact of the policy is expected on victims and potential victims of human trafficking, as the intention is to offer safer environments, thus potentially increasing their wellbeing scores.
- Hotel and motel employees could experience both positive (training, awareness) and negative (burden of enforcement) impacts, depending on the implementation's quality.
- There might be a neutral to slight positive change for regular guests due to safer environments, indirectly affecting their wellbeing.
- Those running hotels or motels not compliant with the requirements could face a negative economic impact if they lose federal bookings.
- Wellbeing score changes will likely vary based on how directly the individual is impacted by trafficking issues. Potential victims will see significant positive changes, others might see marginal change.
Simulated Interviews
Hotel Receptionist (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 32 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I am proud that our hotel will take a stand against human trafficking. It feels good to contribute to something meaningful.
- The training was eye-opening. I think it makes our whole team more vigilant.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Hotel Owner (Houston, TX)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- While I understand the importance of this policy, I'm worried about the additional costs for compliance, especially as a small business owner.
- I hope there will be support to help small hoteliers meet the new requirements.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Victim Advocate (New York, NY)
Age: 28 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Policies like these are crucial for reducing trafficking. Though one step, it demonstrates progress.
- Our organization can certainly use this policy as a leverage to engage more hotels.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Travel Blogger (Miami, FL)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I definitely feel more assured staying in hotels that take human trafficking seriously.
- This adds another layer of safety during my travels – knowing that there’s an active stance against such crimes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Federal Employee (Chicago, IL)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This will make my job more challenging in terms of ensuring compliance but I'm open to it due to its importance.
- I just hope for clear guidance from the government on how to verify compliance.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
College Student (Las Vegas, NV)
Age: 22 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Knowing hotels have stricter policies gives me peace of mind when traveling alone.
- I think it also reflects well on the hotel industry's accountability.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Lyft Driver (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 30 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- As someone who spends nights in different places, this definitely makes me feel that the places I crash in would be safer.
- I hope even budget accommodations get on board with such policies.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Hotel Maid (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 24 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I am glad more will be done since it’s really concerning what goes on behind closed doors.
- More thorough training helps us ensure our own safety too.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Human Rights Activist (Seattle, WA)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy is a big step forward; it’s one of the tools we need in fighting human trafficking.
- Implementation will be key, and persistent follow-up will determine its success.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 10 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
College Student (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 19 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I feel more secure knowing that the places I’ll stay in are committed to such a crucial issue.
- It's reassuring to see that more hotels are being conscious about their impact.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $30000000 (Low: $20000000, High: $40000000)
Year 2: $28000000 (Low: $19000000, High: $38000000)
Year 3: $26000000 (Low: $18000000, High: $36000000)
Year 5: $23000000 (Low: $16000000, High: $33000000)
Year 10: $20000000 (Low: $14000000, High: $30000000)
Year 100: $5000000 (Low: $3000000, High: $10000000)
Key Considerations
- Effectiveness of implementation and compliance monitoring is crucial for realizing policy benefits.
- The cost of implementing and maintaining a zero-tolerance policy might vary significantly based on the geographic location and size of hotels/motels.
- The reality of achieving a significant reduction in human trafficking might depend on wider systemic factors beyond the lodging sector.