Home Industries Hospitality & Tourism Human trafficking training mandatory for R.I. hospitality sector starting Jan. 1

Human trafficking training mandatory for R.I. hospitality sector starting Jan. 1

By

Matthew McNulty

-

12/26/2025

THE R.I. DEPARTMENT of Business Regulation issued a bulletin detailing mandatory human trafficking awareness training for hotel employees and short-term rental operators, effective Jan. 1.

PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island is rolling out new compliance requirements for the hospitality sector that will require annual human‑trafficking awareness training for hotel staff and short‑term rental operators starting Jan. 1. The Human Trafficking Prevention Notice and Training Act, signed into law by Gov. Daniel J. McKee on June 24, requires all hotel employees and short‑term rental

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PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island is rolling out new compliance requirements for the hospitality sector that will require annual human‑trafficking awareness training for hotel staff and short‑term rental operators starting Jan. 1.

The Human Trafficking Prevention Notice and Training Act, signed into law by Gov. Daniel J. McKee on June 24, requires all hotel employees and short‑term rental operators to complete awareness training within 180 days of hire or listing, with annual refresher courses to be completed by the end of each year.

Beginning Jan. 1, operators must now adopt formal procedures and policies for reporting suspected trafficking to the National Human Trafficking Hotline or local law enforcement and keep records of training for the duration of employment and one year after.

Those records must be produced to R.I. Department of Business Regulation within 10 business days of a written request.

Training programs must be approved by the R.I. Department of Business Regulation. They are required to include guidance on identifying individuals at risk, recognizing signs of trafficking, understanding distinctions between labor and sex trafficking in hospitality settings, and knowing when and how to report concerns.

In early November, the state's Department of Business Regulation released a bulletin formalizing compliance expectations and timelines for the training under the law.

Industry groups such as the R.I. Hospitality Association backed the legislation during the 2025 session, saying structured annual training helps employees better recognize and respond to potential trafficking situations, according to the association's website.

The move comes amid ongoing efforts to raise awareness of trafficking locally and nationally. According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, there were 30 trafficking signals reported in Rhode Island in 2024, including 19 identified cases involving 25 victims.

Hotels and short‑term rental hosts now have under a year to update employee training programs, reporting procedures, and record-keeping systems to meet the new requirements before enforcement begins in 2026.

Matthew McNulty is a PBN staff writer. He can be reached at McNulty@PBN.com or on X at @MattMcNultyNYC.