FSU Law Students Champion Human Trafficking Bill

Florida State University College of Law students played a pivotal role in the passing of a new law taking effect last week — one of more than 100 across Florida. Designed to combat human trafficking in public schools, House Bill 1237 mandates annual training for school personnel to help them recognize and respond to signs of trafficking.

The effort was led by FSU law students Lauren Evans and Tazara Fields, working under the mentorship of Glass Professor of Public Interest Law Paolo Annino and Clinical Professor Emmalyn Dalton. Their support helped guide the bill from concept to passage during the 2025 legislative session, culminating in its recent signing by Governor Ron DeSantis.

“We are incredibly proud of our law students and professors Annino and Dalton for advancing a law that will help protect vulnerable children across Florida,” said Erin O’Hara O’Connor, dean of the FSU College of Law. “This achievement demonstrates not only the power of experiential learning through our clinical programs, but also the unique opportunity our students have to make a tangible impact on public policy here in Florida’s Capitol.”

Florida is among the top states in the nation for human trafficking cases, and school-aged children are particularly vulnerable. While Florida law has long required student instruction on human trafficking, this new law fills a critical gap by ensuring educators and school staff — those most likely to notice red flags — are also equipped to pick up on the signs and take action.

The legislative victory reflects years of dedicated work by students in the FSU Public Interest Law Center, led by Professor Annino, a nationally recognized expert in child advocacy law. Under his guidance, students not only helped draft the proposal but also testified before committees, built bipartisan support and engaged closely with lawmakers throughout the process.

“I’m deeply honored to work with these tenacious, dedicated and brilliant FSU law students and their colleagues, finding in them the promise of a bright future for the crucial component of our legal system that we need — public interest law,” Annino said.

“I’m deeply honored to work with these tenacious, dedicated and brilliant FSU law students and their colleagues, finding in them the promise of a bright future for the crucial component of our legal system that we need — public interest law.”

– Paolo Annino, Glass Professor of Public Interest Law

Evans and Fields, now 2025 FSU College of Law graduates, played a leading role in bringing the proposal to lawmakers and pushing it across the finish line. They spent months preparing testimony, working with advocacy groups and explaining to decision-makers why this bill was not only necessary but overdue.

“This experience taught me so much about the legislative process, but more importantly, the power of passionate advocacy and using your voice,” Evans said. “By passing this law, Florida is showing a commitment to protecting our children. I hope future law students can see the positive impact you can make on our community, even while they are still in school.”

Beyond policy success, the experience gave students valuable insight into how advocacy intersects with lawmaking.

“Passing the human trafficking training bill for Florida’s teachers and school personnel isn’t just about a new policy; it’s a profound statement of our collective commitment to justice, particularly for our most vulnerable,” Fields said. “This experience laid bare the power of many voices united in a cause. Seeing the human trafficking training bill become law was an eye-opening experience, offering a front-row seat to the legislative process and a powerful lesson in how dedicated effort can truly make a difference for Florida’s children.

For more information about the Public Interest Law Center and how FSU law students are making a difference, visit https://law.fsu.edu/academics/clinical-programs/public-interest-law-center.