##VIDEO ID:2Yrj36XozAg##  ALL RIGHT. WELCOME EVERYBODY FOR THE RECORD. MY NAME IS GABRIELA CARLOTTA ZAPATA. DISTRICT ONE CITY COUNCILOR AND I'M THE CHAIR OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS.  TODAY IS SEPTEMBER 26TH, 2020 FOR THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED. IT IS ALSO BEING LIVESTREAMED AT BOSTON.  DOUG OF FORWARD SLASH CITY DASH COUNCIL DASH TV AND BROADCAST ON XFINITY CHANNEL EIGHT. RCN CHANNEL 82 AND FILES CHANNEL 964. WRITTEN COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO THE COMMITTEE EMAIL AT C CC DOT GEO AT BOSTON DOT GOV AND WILL BE MADE A PART OF THE RECORD AND AVAILABLE TO ALL PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN AT THE END OF THIS HEARING AND INTERMITTENTLY DURING OR IN-BETWEEN THE PANELISTS INDIVIDUALS WILL BE CALLED ON IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY SIGNED UP AND WILL HAVE 2 MINUTES TO TESTIFY AND WE DO HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS WHO ARE HOPING TO TESTIFY SO PLEASE KEEP IT TO 2 MINUTES IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN TESTIFYING IN PERSON PLEASE ADD YOUR NAME TO THE SIGN UP SHEET NEAR THE ENTRANCE THE CHAMBER IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO TESTIFY VIRTUALLY PLEASE EMAIL OUR CENTRAL STAFF LIAISON MEGHAN CAVANAUGH AT MDG H AND DOT A V A AND A G H AT BOSTON.  DOUG GO FOR THE LINK AND YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST . TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET NUMBER 0759 IN ORDINANCE FOR SAFE AND HEALTHY HOTELS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON THIS MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE HENRY SANTANA MYSELF COUNCILOR GABRIELA CLAUDIA ZAPATA AND SHE JUST JOINED US COUNCILOR SHARON DURKIN AND REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON MAY 11TH, 2024. TODAY I AM JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL COUNCILOR AARON MURPHY AT LARGE COUNCIL SHARON DURKIN COUNCILOR LIZ BRERETON,  COUNCILOR HENRY SANTANA AND COUNCILOR FITZGERALD EXCUSE ME I BELIEVE THAT COUNCILOR WEBER WAS HERE FIRST AND THEN COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. I AM GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE LEAD SPONSORS COULD PROVIDE OPENING STATEMENTS FIRST. SO FOR RIGHT NOW I'M GOING TO PASS IT OVER TO THE LEAD SPONSOR COUNCILOR HENRY SANTANA FOR ANY OPENING REMARKS HE MAY HAVE. COUNCILOR , THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYONE. I WANT TO BEGIN BY THANKING COUNCILOR GABRIELLA COLETTA, OUR CHAIR AND MY CO-SPONSOR FOR CONVENING THIS CRITICAL HEARING AND FOR THEIR STEADFAST PARTNERSHIP ON THIS ORDINANCE.  I ALSO WANT TO EXTEND MY DEEP APPRECIATION TO COUNCILOR SHARON DURKIN, OUR ADDITIONAL ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR FOR HER UNWAVERING SUPPORT IN BRINGING THIS FORWARD AS A LEAD SPONSOR OF THE ORDINANCE FOR SAFE AND HEALTHY HOTELS. MY TEAM AND I HAVE ENGAGED EXTENSIVELY WITH A BROAD VARIETY OF STAKEHOLDERS.  WE'VE CONSULTED WITH UNION REPRESENTING UNION REPRESENTATIVES, HOTEL WORKERS, HOTEL MANAGERS, INDUSTRY LEADERS, EDUCATORS, SURVIVORS, SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS AND ADVOCATES TO ENSURE THAT EVERY VOICE IS HEARD AND CONSIDERED. THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN HAS BEEN CENTERED ON ONE CORE PRINCIPLE OF COLLABORATION.  OUR GOAL IS TO CREATE AN ORDINANCE THAT IS NOT ONLY EFFECTIVE BUT ALSO INCLUSIVE REFLECTING THE COLLECTIVE INTERESTS OF THOSE IT IMPACTS AT ITS HEART THIS ORDINANCE IS ABOUT THE SAFEGUARDING HOTEL WORKERS WORKERS WHO FACE RISK FAR BEYOND WHAT MANY OF US MAY IMAGINE. THEY ARE OFTEN ON THE FRONTLINES OF DANGEROUS SITUATIONS FROM HUMAN TRAFFICKING TO SUBSTANCE USE AND EVEN HEALTH HAZARDS THE PROTECTIONS AND TRAINING THIS ORDINANCE PROPOSES AREN'T JUST VITAL FOR THEIR WELL-BEING. THEY ARE ESSENTIAL FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR ENTIRE CITY. WE HAVE A DUTY TO ENSURE THAT THOSE WHO KEEP OUR HOTELS RUNNING SAFE, RESPECTED AND VALUED.  THIS ORDINANCE SEEKS TO GUARANTEE THAT EVERY HOTEL WORKER HAS THE NECESSARY TOOLS AND PROTECTIONS TO DO THEIR JOB WITHOUT FEAR FOR THEIR SAFETY.  THEIR SAFETY MUST BE PARAMOUNT AS A SERVICE THEY PROVIDE TO OUR GUESTS.  TODAY WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF HEARING FROM DIVERSE AND EXPERIENCED PANELISTS AND INVITED GUESTS, LEADERS AND PUBLIC HEALTH, LABOR AND OTHER FIELDS. I'M EAGER TO HEAR THEIR INSIGHTS AS WELL AS THE TESTIMONY FROM THE PUBLIC AS WE WORK TOGETHER TO STRENGTHEN AND REFINE THIS IMPORTANT ORDINANCE. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. COUNCILOR SANTANA COUNCILOR DREGER THANK YOU SO MUCH. CHAIR I AM IN SUPPORT OF THIS ORDINANCE. I'M PROUD TO CO-SPONSOR IT. THIS MESSAGE REPRESENTS A BALANCED APPROACH TO ADDRESSING CRITICAL HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUES IN OUR CITY'S HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY WHILE ALSO RECOGNIZING THE OPERATIONAL REALITIES FACE BIOLOGICAL BREEDERS.  BOSTON WELCOMES OVER 20 MILLION VISITORS ANNUALLY AND OUR HOTELS PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN OUR LOCAL ECONOMY AND TOURISM INDUSTRY.  HOWEVER, WITH THE VOLUME COMES RESPONSIBILITY HOTEL WORKERS FIND THEMSELVES ON THE FRONT LINES OF COMPLEX ISSUES LIKE HUMAN TRAFFICKING, SUBSTANCE ABUSE OVERDOSES AND VARIOUS OTHER PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERNS.  THIS ORDINANCE AIMS TO EQUIP THESE WORKERS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND PROCEDURES THEY NEED TO ADDRESS THESE CHALLENGES EFFECTIVELY. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE CONCERNS RAISED BY OUR LODGING OPERATORS. WE UNDERSTAND THAT IMPLEMENTING NEW PROCEDURES AND CONDUCTING REGULAR TRAINING CAN PRESENT OPERATIONAL AND FINANCIAL CHALLENGES ESPECIALLY FOR SMALLER ESTABLISHMENTS.  THAT'S WHY THIS ORDINANCE INCLUDES PROVISIONS ON AN ADVISORY PANEL COMPRISED OF EXPERTS FROM VARIOUS FIELDS WHO CAN PROVIDE VALUABLE INPUT . THIS PANEL WILL DEVELOP PRACTICAL TAILORED GUIDANCE THAT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT DIFFERENT HOTEL TYPE SIZES AND STAFFING LEVELS. THE GOAL IS NOT TO BURDEN OUR HOTELS WITH UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS BUT TO CREATE A FRAMEWORK THAT ENHANCES SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS ACROSS THE BOARD TO OUR HOTEL WORKERS AND THEIR REPRESENTATIVES INCLUDING UNITE HERE 26.  WE HEAR YOU. OUR ORDINANCE SEEKS TO ADDRESS MANY OF THE CONCERNS YOU'VE RAISED ABOUT WORKPLACE SAFETY FROM RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH CLEANING CHEMICALS TO THE NEED FOR CLEAR PROTOCOLS FOR CLEAR PROTOCOLS IN DEALING WITH POTENTIAL HUMAN TRAFFICKING SITUATIONS.  THE INCLUSION OF GUIDELINES ON MAXIMUM SQUARE FOOTAGE FOR CLEANING DUTIES IS A DIRECT RESPONSE TO YOUR ADVOCACY FOR FAIR WORKING CONDITIONS. COLLEAGUES, THIS ORDINANCE STRIKES A CAREFUL BALANCE. IT PROVIDES OUR HOTELS WITH 180 DAY IMPLEMENTATION PERIOD AND TIES COMPLIANCE TO REGULAR LICENSE RENEWAL CYCLE GIVING OPERATORS TIME TO ADAPT AT A TIME IT AT THE SAME TIME IT SETS CLEAR EXPECTATIONS FOR TRAINING AND PROCEDURES. AS WE MOVE FORWARD I COMMIT TO ONGOING DIALOG WITH STAKEHOLDERS TO ENSURE THAT THIS ORDINANCE ACHIEVES ITS INTENDED GOALS WITHOUT PLACING UNDUE BURDENS ON OUR HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR DURKAN.  I JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT WE HAVE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR ED FLYNN, COUNCILOR RITCHIE LOUIJEUNE COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND COUNCILOR TANYA FERNANDEZ ANDERSON TOO. WITH RESPECT TO MY COLLEAGUES WE DO HAVE THREE PANELS AND DOZENS OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY. SO IN THE INTEREST OF TIME AS CHAIR I'M GOING TO REQUEST THAT WE LIMIT OPENING STATEMENTS TO THE SPONSORS MYSELF INCLUDED. BUT FIRST AS CHAIR, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH TO EVERYBODY WHO HAS SHOWED UP HERE TODAY TO HAVE THEIR VOICES HEARD. IT IS ATYPICAL TO HAVE THIS CHAMBER BE SO FULL SO KNOW THAT WE ARE GRATEFUL AND WE KNOW THAT YOU TOOK TIME OUT OF YOUR DAY TO BE HERE BECAUSE YOU DEEPLY CARE ABOUT THIS ISSUE. YOU CARE ABOUT THE CITY OF BOSTON AND YOU CARE ABOUT BOSTON'S WORKERS. I WANT TO BE ABLE TO SET THE TABLE HERE FOR FOLKS WHO HAVEN'T BEEN AT A CITY COUNCIL HEARING. THIS IS THE FIRST HEARING ON THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC DURING ANY GIVEN HEARING ESPECIALLY IF IT'S THE TOPICS FIRST. WE INVITE ALL STAKEHOLDERS TO THE TABLE TO PROVIDE THEIR THOUGHTS, COMMENTS AND PERSPECTIVES ABOUT THE DOCKET AT HAND. THIS MEANS FOLKS WHO WORK FOR THE ADMINISTRATION IN WHICH WE WILL HEAR FROM PRIVATE INDUSTRY WHICH WE WILL HEAR FROM WORKERS AND THE PUBLIC ARE ABLE TO PRESENT THEIR IDEAS. IT IS USUALLY AN INFORMATION GATHERING EXERCISE. WE ARE ALSO HERE TO GATHER SUGGEST AND DRILL INTO THE LANGUAGE DURING A FORTHCOMING WORKING SESSION OR TWO OR THREE IF NECESSARY. SO TODAY IS REALLY JUST GATHERING AS MUCH INFORMATION AS WE CAN AND GETTING PERSPECTIVES FROM EVERYBODY.  WHAT WE ARE DOING HERE TODAY IS ACTUALLY QUITE SIMPLE. WE ARE STANDARDIZING WHAT A SAFE AND HEALTHY HOTEL HERE IN BOSTON IS FOR BOTH WORKERS AND FOR PATRONS. TOURISM AND HOST AND HOTEL STAYS ARE PART OF THE ECONOMIC BACKBONE OF THE CITY.  AND BRILLIANT BRING IN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT FUEL ADDITIONAL INVESTMENTS AND FUTURE GROWTH. AS IT STANDS, VARIOUS HOTELS OPERATE AT INCONSISTENT PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY LEVELS WHILE PROCEDURES AND EMPLOYEE TRAININGS VARY. THIS ORDINANCE SEEKS TO PROTECT HOTEL WORKERS WHO AS DEMONSTRATED BY THE PANDEMIC ARE FIRST TO FACE HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUES.  FOR EXAMPLE, HOTEL WORKERS ARE OFTEN THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE OF PROTECTING AGAINST OUR SOCIETY'S MOST VULNERABLE AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING. HUMAN TRAFFICKERS OFTEN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HOTEL PRIVACY AND THEN ANONYMITY AND AN UNKNOWN IN MANY EXCUSE ME THERE HAS BEEN SOME INCREDIBLE WORK ON BEHALF OF OUR HEALTH AND SAFETY PROFESSIONALS TO COMBAT THIS AND PROVIDE TRAINING. BUT THERE STILL IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CODIFY ADEQUATE LEVELS OF TRAINING.  WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES ON THIS TOPIC AND WE SEEK TO UNDERSTAND HOW THIS ORDINANCE THE WAY IT IS WRITTEN NOW MIGHT IMPACT THOSE WHO AFFIRMATIVELY CHOOSE THIS LINE OF WORK.  HOTEL WORKERS OFTEN FIND THEMSELVES AS FIRST RESPONDERS IN ENCOUNTER ENCOUNTERS SUBSTANCE USE OVERDOSES WITH ALMOST 240 CALLS AT HOTELS JUST WITHIN THE LAST TWO YEARS ON THIS ISSUE. SEPARATELY CONSISTING CONSISTENT CLEANING PROCEDURES ARE GOOD FOR THE PUBLIC AND THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT IT'S GOOD FOR BUSINESS. IT WILL HELP REDUCE RISK OF BUGS, LICE AND AS WELL AS MOLD AND LEGIONELLA. HOTEL WORKERS EXPOSE THEMSELVES TO CLEANING CHEMICALS AND THEREFORE PROPER TRAININGS ON HOW TO HANDLE THEM IS GOOD FOR WORKER AND GUEST SAFETY. AND SO THIS ORDINANCE PROPOSES TO ACHIEVE ALL OF THIS BY REQUIRING HOTEL EMPLOYERS TO PROVIDE THEIR EMPLOYEES WITH CERTAIN TRAININGS. IT REQUIRES THEM TO CREATE CERTAIN PLANS AND PROCEDURES. IT REQUIRES THEM TO AFFIRM THEIR COMPLIANCE DURING RENEWAL, CREATES AN ADVISORY PANEL AND REQUIRES THE LICENSING BOARD TO ADD THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS ORDINANCE TO THEIR RULES AND REGULATIONS. AND LASTLY, IT REQUIRES THE LICENSING BOARD TO HOLD MANDATORY MEETINGS TO PROVIDE NOTICE OF THE NEW OF THESE NEW REQUIREMENTS. AFTER THIS DOC ITS INITIAL FILING MY OFFICE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LEAD SPONSOR AND COUNCILOR DURKIN HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY DILIGENT TO MEET WITH WHOMEVER REACHED OUT SO THAT WE CAN HEAR FROM THEM AND LISTEN TO THEM. AND SO I'M EXCITED TO HEAR FROM MORE FOLKS TODAY AND FOR THE THE ROBUST CONVERSATION AHEAD. AND SO WITH THAT JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE AGENDA. WE'LL HAVE OPENING STATEMENTS FROM THIS CURRENT PANEL HOTEL WORKERS AND ADVOCATES WILL HAVE 3 MINUTES PER COUNCILOR FOR QUESTIONS THEN WILL GO TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY, WILL THEN HAVE THE ADMINISTRATION PANEL WITH DISCUSSION AGAIN 3 MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS FOR MY COLLEAGUES AND THEN GO TO THE HOTEL INDUSTRY PANEL WITH DISCUSSION 3 MINUTES PER QUESTIONS FOR THE COUNCILOR AND THEN WE'LL GO TO ADDITIONAL PUBLIC TESTIMONY.  SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE EVERYBODY FOR THAT LONG OPENING STATEMENT. I'LL NOW PASS IT OVER TO THE HOTEL WORKERS AND ADVOCATES PANEL. WE HAVE CARLOS ROMEO, PRESIDENT UNITE HERE LOCAL 26.  SUSANNA COLE I'M SO SORRY IF I SAID YOUR LAST NAME WRONG WITH YOU. CUELLAR THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE FROM HILTON LOGAN AIRPORT AND I STESSA SEC BOSTON PARK PLAZA. THE FLOOR IS YOURS TO DO SO. GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. YOU KNOW, AS THE CHAIR SAID, MY NAME IS CARLOS ROMERO. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF UNITE HERE LOCAL 26 THE HOSPITALITY WORKERS UNION WE REPRESENT 12,000 HOSPITALITY WORKERS INCLUDING A STRONG MAJORITY OF BOSTON'S HOTEL WORKFORCE. AND I'M HONORED TO BE JOINED BY I START A SEGUE FROM THE HILTON BOSTON PARK PLAZA AND SUZANNE AGUAYO FROM THE HILTON LOGAN AIRPORT ON BEHALF OF THESE 12,000 WORKERS. I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK STRONGLY IN SUPPORT OF THIS ORDINANCE AND I WANT TO THANK THE SPONSORS FOR THE CAREFUL THOUGHT THAT THEY HAVE PUT INTO IT.  AS YOU KNOW AND AS WAS JUST DISCUSSED, THIS ORDINANCE CREATES A SEVEN PERSON COMMITTEE MADE UP OF EXPERTS IN THEIR FIELDS TO ADDRESS PERSISTENT PUBLIC HEALTH CHALLENGES. THE CITY AND THE TRAVELING PUBLIC FACE IN OUR HOTELS. THESE INCLUDE ONE TARGETING AND IDENTIFYING AND REPORTING ON INSTANCES OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING TO POLICE POLICIES TO HANDLE SUBSTANCE USE AND OVERDOSE IN OUR HOTELS. THREE REDUCING INSTANCES OF BEDBUGS, LICE, MOLD, LEGIONELLA AND OTHER PARASITES BY LIMITING THE MAXIMUM SQUARE FOOTAGE AND FREQUENCY THAT A HOTEL WORKER CAN BE REQUIRED TO CLEAN IN A DAY. THE USE OF PROPER CHEMICALS GUESTROOM SAFETY CHECKS. AND FINALLY OTHER TRAININGS THAT THIS THAT THIS EXPERT PANEL MAY DEEM NECESSARY. YOU WILL HEAR TESTIMONY TODAY FROM PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERTS BUT ALSO FROM FRONTLINE HOTEL WORKERS WHO SUPPORT THIS ORDINANCE BECAUSE THEY HAVE SEEN EXAMPLES OF EACH OF THESE PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERNS FIRSTHAND. I DO HAVE A FEW SMALL SUGGESTIONS THAT I WOULD ASK THIS BODY TO CONSIDER IN FUTURE WORKING SESSIONS. FIRST, WE WOULD LIKE TO INCORPORATE RACIAL BIAS TRAINING IN ANY TRAINING RELATED TO THE IDENTIFYING AND REPORTING OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING. THE INTENT OF THIS ORDINANCE IS TO STOP THE PERSISTENT EXPLOITATION OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUR HOTELS BY TRAFFICKERS COMING UP AND DOWN THE EAST COAST. THE INTENT I BELIEVE IS NOT TO TARGET BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES AND WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN.  SECOND, WE HAVE NEGOTIATED INTO OUR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS LANGUAGE THAT THAT GUARANTEES THAT THERE WILL BE MANDATORY DEFIBRILLATORS AND ANNUAL TRAINING ON HOW TO USE THEM. AND THIS HAS SAVED COUNTLESS LIVES. WE KNOW THAT THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION GUIDELINES RECOMMENDS THAT AIDS BE LOCATED AROUND 1 TO 2 MINUTES FROM THE MAJORITY OF LOCATIONS WITHIN A STRUCTURE. IF YOU ARE WALKING QUICKLY GIVEN THIS GUIDANCE WE WOULD RECOMMEND AIDS BE PLACED ON EACH FLOOR OF A PROPERTY NEAR THE ELEVATOR. THIRD, GIVEN THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE EPIDEMIC DOES NOT END AT THE FRONT DOOR OF HOTELS. WE WOULD RECOMMEND NARCAN BOXES BE PLACED ON TOP OF THE AID BOXES SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU SEE HERE IN CITY HALL. THESE ALONG WITH TEST STRIPS ARE A LOW COST WAY TO SAVE COUNTLESS LIVES.  LASTLY WE WOULD ASK THAT EMERGENCY AND ACTIVE SHOOTER TRAINING BE ADDED TO THIS ORDINANCE. HOTEL WORKERS ARE ACUTELY AWARE THAT THE LAS VEGAS SHOOTER IN 2017 HAD SEARCHED FOR HOTELS IN BOSTON BEFORE CHOOSING THE MANDALAY BAY CASINO IN LAS VEGAS.  WE NEED THE TOOLS TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY AND REPORT WHAT THESE GUN BAGS COULD LOOK LIKE AND WHAT TO DO IN AN ACTIVE EMERGENCY SITUATION. WE ALSO ASKED THAT AT LEAST ONE STOP THE BLEED KIT BE LOCATED EACH HOTEL ALONG WITH THE ANNUAL TRAINING SESSION ON HOW TO USE THEM. SAFETY CHECKS WILL ALSO BE A CRUCIAL COMPONENT IN THIS AREA. SO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY TODAY. AND IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS I DO WANT TO PASS IT TO FIRST TO ESATA FROM THE HILTON BOSTON PARK PLAZA TO TALK A LITTLE ABOUT HER EXPERIENCE. THANK YOU. CARLOS SANTANA.  GOOD AFTERNOON.  MY NAME IS ISAT ISAAC. I WORK ON THE HILTON WESTERN PARK PLAZA HOTEL HASA UM I WAS A ROOM ATTENDANT FOR MANY YEARS AND TODAY I'M A BANQUET SERVER AND MANY MANY GUESTS AND NOW USING THE DO NOT DISTURB SIGN AND THE DOOR WHICH MEANT THE ROOM IS MUCH MORE MESSY AND COME INTO THE TIME TO THE CLEAN . I SUPPORT THIS ORDINANCE BECAUSE I WILL SET IT AND THE INDUSTRY STANDARD TO MAKE SURE ANY ANYONE COMING TO BOSTON WILL HAVE A CLEAN HOTEL ROOMS TO SAY THESE I HAVE A LIMITED ON THE NUMBER OF ROOM A HOUSEKEEPER CLEAN IS THE BEST WAY TO FIGHT THE BEDBUGS AND OTHER BACTERIA THAT BUILD UP DIRT ON THE LUNCHEON STAFF IF IT IT GUESS FOR THE DID NOT THE STAFF SIGN DURAN DO NOT DISTURB SIGN DO I A LONG STAY SAID THE GUESTS PUT NO THE BEST SOLUTION IS THE DINING HOUSE HOUSEKEEPER HOUSEKEEPING EVEN THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATE LUNCHEON LONG LUNCHEON ASSOCIATE HAVE SAID THE EMPLOYERS INSPECT THE ROOM FOR THE BED BEDBUGS EFFECTIVELY EVER BE THE THE INSPECTION GUEST ROOM LINE LINEN MATTRESS AND BEST FRIEND SAID HAD BOUGHT AND BEDDING IS A HARD LOOK I IT IS HAD TO DO NOW WHEN IS DO NOT DISTURB SIGN ON THE DOOR SAID THAT FOR THE DAYS.  I WANT TO THANK THE CITY COUNCIL ARE FOR HELPING GOOD INFORMATION CLEAN THIS AND SEND THEM HERE AND THE HOTEL INDUSTRY WITHOUT THIS ORDINANCE AND PLACE BOSTON WILL BE ABLE TO WELCOME THE WORLD TO THE HOTEL AND STAY THAT HAS A CLEAN SAFETY HOTEL ANYWHERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I SAT SUZANNA GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.  MY NAME IS SUSANNA QUEALLY.  I AM AN EAST BOSTON RESIDENT AND I WORK AT THE HILTON BOSTON LOGAN AIRPORT AND MY POSITION AT THE HILTON I SEE EVERYTHING THAT IS GOING ON IN THE HOTEL AS A HOTEL WORKER WE HAVE SEEN FIRSTHAND THE MANY WAYS THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC HAS IMPACTED OUR CITY FROM GUESTS HAVING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES TO INCREASED DRUG USE. I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT THIS ORDINANCE WILL SAVE LIVES ACCORDING TO DATA COLLECTED BY THE CITY FROM 2022 TO FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR, BOSTON POLICE HAS RESPONDED TO 1690 INCIDENTS AT BOSTON HOTELS AND THE BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT HAVE RESPONDED TO 1465 CALLS FROM 2022 TO TO 2023. BOSTON POLICE AND FIRE CALLS REGARDING INCIDENTS AT BOSTON HOTELS HAVE INCREASED BY 18% AND 12% RESPECTFULLY BY A MAJORITY OF THESE CALLS FALL IN AREAS WHERE HOTEL STAFF COULD BE TRAINED TO RESPOND PRIOR TO FIRST RESPONDERS ARRIVING INCLUDING THE 241 SEXIST AND SEXIST DRUG RELATED RELATED ILLNESS AND 49 SICK, INJURED AND MEDICAL CALLS. GIVEN THESE STATISTICS I BELIEVE THERE IS CERTAINLY MORE ROOM TO HELP IMPROVE THE SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF THE TRAVELING PUBLIC.  AT MY HOTEL WE HAVE SEEN THE SECURITY TEAM SHRINK IN RECENT YEARS SO IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT WE CANNOT RELY ON BANKS AND BROKERS WHO OWN THESE HOTELS TO KEEP US SAFE.  IT IS UP TO US AS BOSTONIANS TO DO THIS. WE NEED THE TOOLS TO REACT TO THESE CALLS SO WE KNOW WHAT TO DO TO SAVE LIVES. PRIOR TO BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT AND EMS ARRIVED.  THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU SO MUCH, SUZANNE. AND FOR ALL OF YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY TO PROVIDE YOUR IMPORTANT PERSPECTIVE AS HOTEL INDUSTRY. WORKERS I DO NOT WANT TO JUST FOR MY MY COLLEAGUES.  THERE HAVE BEEN SOME EDITS TO THE ORDER OF ARRIVAL. IT WILL NOW BE COUNCILOR MURPHY ,COUNCILOR DURKIN, BRERETON SANTANA, FITZGERALD WEBER,  LOUIJEUNE FLYNN AND FERNANDEZ ANDERSON JUST FOR FOR QUESTIONS . AGAIN, WE HAVE 3 MINUTES FOR FOR EVERYBODY AND SO IN THE INTEREST OF TIME I WILL BE KEEPING TRACK BUT FOR RIGHT NOW I WILL PASS IT OVER TO THE LEAD SPONSORS FIRST COUNCILOR SANTANA AND THEN DURKIN AND THEN GO THROUGH THAT ORDER.  COUNCILOR SANTANA, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.  AND THANK YOU TO OUR PANELISTS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND SHARING YOUR STORIES.  YOU KNOW, I FILED AN ORDINANCE BECAUSE OF THE STATEMENTS WE ALL MADE. I SPOKE TO SO MANY OF YOU ALL HERE IN THIS ROOM AND THE SAFETY OF OUR AUTOWORKERS IS MY TOP PRIORITY HERE. SO YOU KNOW, I DO WANT TO GO INTO SAID AND I SEE THAT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR STORY. IF YOU CAN YOU KNOW IF EITHER OF YOU CAN JUST SHARE MORE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, YOUR DAY TO DAY LIVES WHEN YOU'RE WHEN YOU'RE CLEANING THESE HOTELS AND I'M SO SAD ABOUT YOU AND YOU MENTIONED THE SECURITY AT THE HOTELS AND YOU'VE SEEN IT YEAR TO YEAR IT'S STRANGE AND YOU SPEAK MORE TO THAT SECURITY. WHAT'S YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH SECURITY? ONE OF SECURITY'S DOING AND THEN YOU'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT SHRINKAGE THAT YOU'VE SEEN . WELL, YOU KNOW, THE DEPARTMENT HAS GOTTEN SMALLER. I'M AN OPERATOR AT THE HOTEL.  SO IS SECURITY IS BUSY WITH ANOTHER CALLER CHECKING A ROOM OR ON THE OVERNIGHT ESPECIALLY SETTING UP COURT AND SOMETHING HAPPENS I HAVE TO CALL THE EMERGENCY I HAVE TO CALL IN MY CASE IT'S MAN'S WORK AND I HAVE TO CALL THE AMBULANCE. I HAVE TO CALL THE POLICE. YOU KNOW IT'S ON ME ESPECIALLY ON THE OVERNIGHT AND YOU KNOW, THESE COMPANIES HAVE CUT ESPECIALLY SINCE COVID AND YOU WEAR THERE CAN AND YOU KNOW SECURITY IS NOT UNION SO THEY CUT THEY CAN CUT THEIR THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR SHARING AS YOU KNOW YOU MENTIONED THE DO NOT DISTURB SIGNS BEING UP CAN YOU SPEAK YOU KNOW AND I THINK OUR GUESTS HAVE THE YOU KNOW, THE RIGHT TO PUT THOSE UP RIGHT.  CAN YOU SPEAK MORE TO SOME OF THE HEALTH HAZARDS AND SECURITY CONCERNS THAT YOU YOU'RE ALL FACING WHEN YOU'RE SEEING THEM WHEN YOU HAVE TO AVOID ROOMS? AND I THINK YOU MENTIONED THAT ROOMS ARE MESSIER.  YOU KNOW, CAN YOU SPEAK TO MORE OF WHAT YOU'RE ACTUALLY SEEING IN THESE ROOMS WHEN YOU'RE CLEANING?  YEAH. HAS A ROOM ATTENDANT WOUND UP ON THE DO NOT DISTURB SIGN ON THE DOOR AND I MEAN THEY DON'T NEED SERVICE FOR THE DAY SO IS ISN'T GUARANTEE LIKE A WHEN WE GET TO THE ROOM IS GOING TO BE LIKE ALL OF THAT IS GOING TO BE VERY MESSY IS GOING TO TAKE OUR TIME AND THAT COSTS A LOT ON MAKEUP AND FOR THE ROOM ATTENDANT BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE LIKE THREE ROOMS SAD FOR THE DAY DO NOT DISTURB SIGN YOU'LL HAVE TO CLEAN FOR THE NEXT DAY. YOU'RE GOING TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME BUT IS A TIME LIMIT TO LIKE CLEAN ONE ROOM AND THAT WILL AFFECT YOUR LIFE WHEN YOU GO HOME YOU CANNOT EVEN MOVE. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. JUST ONE FINAL QUESTION RIGHT HERE. I'M OF YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU YOU MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, INCREASE IN TRAINING FOR FOR SHOOTINGS. CAN YOU JUST SPEAK MORE TO THAT AND THE EXPERIENCES THAT YOU KNOW, OUR HOTEL WORKERS ARE FACING HERE AND YOU KNOW, YOU YOU OBVIOUSLY REFERENCED THE LAS VEGAS SHOOTING HERE. CAN YOU SPEAK MORE TO THAT TO THAT EXPERIENCE? SURE. SO YOU KNOW, I WORKED ACTUALLY I WAS IN LAS VEGAS A COUPLE OF WEEKS AFTER THE MANDALAY BAY SHOOTING AND DID WORK WITH OUR AFFILIATE THERE AND YOU KNOW, THE THE SORT OF TRAGEDY THERE IS THAT IT WAS AN EMINENTLY PREVENTABLE TRAGEDY. RIGHT. THE THE THE PERSON WHO BROUGHT THOSE GUNS AND COMMITTED THAT ATROCITY DID SO OVER MULTIPLE DAYS, LOCKED HIMSELF IN THE ROOM FOR MULTIPLE DAYS WITH THE DO NOT DISTURB ON THE ROOM. THERE WAS NO CHECK ON THAT ROOM DURING THAT TIME AND THEN EVENTUALLY WE ALL KNOW ONE OF THE WORST MASS SHOOTINGS IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES CAME AFTER THAT.  YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF SOUL SEARCHING IN IN IN LAS VEGAS ALSO TO SAY WELL, WHAT COULD HAVE DONE DONE DIFFERENTLY SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I KNOW ARE BEING PUT FORTH IN WERE SORT OF SUGGESTING IN TERMS OF TRYING TO DEEPEN THIS ORDINANCE IS TO LOOK AT ACTIVE SHOOTER TRAINING BUT ALSO TO LOOK AT WAYS IN WHICH THERE COULD BE BETTER IDENTIFICATION OF WHAT'S COMING IN AND OUT OF THE ROOM. OBVIOUSLY SAFETY CHECKS ON ROOMS WHERE THERE IS DO NOT DISTURBS FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIMES AND OTHER MECHANISMS. I'M NOT AN EXPERT IN THIS FIELD BUT I DO KNOW FROM TALKING TO MY COLLEAGUES IN LAS VEGAS THAT MOST PEOPLE THINK THAT THAT WAS A TOTALLY AVOIDABLE TRAGEDY AND THAT IF SECURITY HAD BEEN IN PLACE AND PROCEDURES HAD BEEN IN PLACE AROUND A SITUATION LIKE THIS, THERE'S NO WAY ANYONE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET THAT MUCH THAT MANY GUNS AND THAT MUCH AMMUNITION INTO A ROOM FOR THAT MANY DAYS WITHOUT BEING FOUND OUT. WELL, THANK YOU. AND I GOT MY MY TOP PRIORITY IS IS KEEPING YOU ALL SAFE, KEEPING ALL OUR WORKERS SAFE.  SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR SANTANA COUNSELOR DURKIN THANK YOU SO MUCH. CHAIR AND I, I THINK I REALLY BELIEVE IT IN MY OPENING STATEMENT BUT I THINK THIS ORDINANCE IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF CREATING A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR TOURISTS AND THOSE TRAVELING AND THOSE WHO WANT TO DO A DEDICATION WHO LIVE IN THE CITY. I AND I THANK OUR HOTEL WORKER SO MUCH FOR ALL THE WORK THEY DO TO MAKE BOSTON A GREAT PLACE TO VISIT.  ONE ONE PIECE OF FEEDBACK WE'VE HEARD ABOUT THE ADVISORY PANEL IS THAT THERE SHOULD BE A MEMBER OF A OF OF YOU KNOW FROM SORT OF OTHER OTHER FOLKS ON THE ADVISORY PANEL. AND ONE THING THAT I'M SUPERPOWER UNIT ABOUT IS MAKING SURE THAT THOSE WHO ARE THOSE ON THE PANEL ARE HOLDING OFTENTIMES BIG COMPANIES AND OTHERS TO ACCOUNT. SO ONE THING THAT I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT IS MAKING SURE THAT THE MEMBERS OF THE ADVISORY PANEL ARE THOSE ARE THOSE WHO REALLY CAN HOLD SORT OF BIGGER HOTEL INDUSTRY FOLKS TO ACCOUNT. SO I JUST CURIOUS WHAT YOUR OPINION IS OF OF THE FOLKS THAT ARE LISTED ON THE ADVISORY PANEL AND WHETHER YOU THOUGHT IT SHOULD EXPAND IN ANY WAY? SURE. YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THE FOLKS WHO DRAFTED THIS DID A REALLY GOOD JOB OF FORMING THE ADVISORY PANEL. I THINK VERY MUCH ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT YOU SAID THIS IS A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE AND THIS IS ABOUT HOLDING AN INDUSTRY ACCOUNTABLE TO THE SAFETY OF THE TRAVELING PUBLIC AND TO THE TO THE HEALTH OF THE TRAVELING PUBLIC. I THINK THE EXPERTS AND THE REPRESENTATIVES ON THE PANEL HAVE BEEN VERY WELL SELECTED IN ORDER TO DO THAT.  YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT OUR UNIFORMED SERVICES OBVIOUSLY WHO HANDLE THESE ISSUES ON A REGULAR BASIS AND ALSO HAVING REPRESENTATIVE LIVES OF THE WORKERS WHO AS YOU KNOW BOTH OF MY PANELISTS HERE CLEARLY STATED ARE AT THE FRONT LINE OF THESE CHALLENGES AND ISSUES. RIGHT. AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT IS THAT FOLKS WHO WORK EVERY DAY YOU KNOW, THE SAFETY OF THE GUEST, THE SAFETY OF THE TRAVELING PUBLIC IS THE SAFETY OF THE WORKING FOLKS. THE BOSTON RESIDENTS WHO GO IN AND OUT OF THESE PROPERTIES ON A DAILY BASIS.  AND THAT'S THE PERSPECTIVE THAT WE WOULD BRING TO THE PANEL UNDERSTANDING THAT WE WOULD ENGAGE WITH THE VARIOUS EXPERTS FROM THE LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY, FROM THE EMS COMMUNITY TO REALLY KIND OF WORK OUT WHAT WOULD BE THE RIGHT WAY TO PROCEED AND TO MOVE FORWARD.  BUT I THINK YOU DID HIT ON IT WHEN YOU SAID ACCOUNTABILITY RIGHT?  BECAUSE ACCOUNTABILITY WOULD BE YOU KNOW, THE HOPE WOULD BE THAT AN INDUSTRY WOULD DO THE RIGHT THING. BUT THE PURPOSE OF THIS WOULD BE TO HAVE A STRUCTURE TO HOLD THE INDUSTRY ACCOUNTABLE TO ACTUALLY DOING THE RIGHT THING . AND THAT'S HOW I SEE THIS DIVIDING UP AND BEING BROKEN. THANK YOU.  AND I THINK THE ORDINANCE IS REALLY SHOWING THE DEPTH OF ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT HOTEL WORKERS DEAL WITH ON A DAILY BASIS TO HAVE US ENGAGING IN THIS CONVERSATION AND TO HAVE GUN VIOLENCE AND LICE AND BEDBUGS AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING ALL BROUGHT UP IN THE SAME CONVERSATION JUST SHOWS THE BREADTH OF OF THE ISSUES THAT THAT HOTELS ARE SEEING ON A DAILY BASIS. BUT THEY'RE REALLY THE ISSUES OF OF ARE CITY AND THE ISSUES OF YOU KNOW. BUT IT JUST SHOWS THAT FRIDAY I KNOW I'M OUT OF TIME BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS IS OTHER THAN I THINK YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT GUN VIOLENCE, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU SEE MISSING FROM THIS ORDINANCE THAT WOULD MAKE IT STRONGER AND SPEAK MORE TO THE ISSUES THAT WORKERS ARE FACING? YEAH, I MEAN I THINK YOU KNOW, I RAISED A COUPLE OF THINGS OBVIOUSLY THE GUN VIOLENCE ISSUE IS A PARTICULAR ONE THAT YOU KNOW, TOUCHED US IN LAS VEGAS AND WE KNOW WE'VE SEEN OTHER SORT OF SMALLER INSTANCES OF THAT IN THE HOTEL IN HOTELS. YOU KNOW, I DO ALSO WANT TO TOUCH ON THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE ACADEMIC EPIDEMIC AND I DID MENTION THE AVAILABILITY OF NARCAN AND TRAINING ON NARCAN.  WE CERTAINLY SEE OVER, YOU KNOW, OVERDOSES UNFORTUNATELY AT PROPERTIES. RIGHT. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, DOESN'T STOP JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE'S AT THE HOTEL.  AND SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK YOU KNOW, THE EXAMPLE WE BROUGHT FORWARD IS, YOU KNOW, NARCAN, NARCAN AND TESTING STRIPS.  MAYBE THERE'S SOMETHING TO BE DONE TO AMPLIFY ON THAT BUT WAYS TO ALSO ENSURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING PEOPLE SAFE IN AN OVERDOSE SITUATION I THINK WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR FOR SOMETHING THAT TO LOOK AT GOING FORWARD. AUDIENCE THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MURPHY.  Q THANK YOU TO THE SPONSORS FOR BRINGING FORWARD THIS IMPORTANT CONVERSATION. I'M HAPPY THAT WE'RE HAVING IT. I KNOW IT'S THE BEGINNING OF A LOT OF WORK AHEAD AND THANK YOU ALSO FOR THE THREE DIFFERENT PANELS SO WE CAN REALLY HEAR FROM ALL DIFFERENT SIDES SO THAT WE CAN WORK ON THIS ORDINANCE TO MAKE IT WORK SO TO ME I SEE THIS AS TWOFOLD IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY AND FOR ME MORALLY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR HOTEL GUESTS ARE SAFE BUT OBVIOUSLY OUR WORKERS TOO. SO I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE HERE TO ADDRESS THAT MAKING SURE AND WANTED TO FIRST SAY THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN ON STRIKE AND THEN OUT THERE WITH YOU AT SOME OF THOSE EVENTS AND JUST THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TO HAVE YOUR VOICE LIFTED. SO I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO TO SAY AND THIS IS A CONCERN I WENT ON A POLICE RIDE ALONG A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO IT WAS THE OVERNIGHT WITH A ONE AND TWO OF THE CALLS WERE TO HOTELS HERE IN AVON AND BOTH WERE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RELATED IN A HOTEL. SO WE KNOW THIS IS TRUE. MY WORRY THOUGH IS THAT WE'RE EXPECTING OUR HOTEL WORKERS BEFORE I BECAME A CITY COUNCILOR I WAS A SCHOOLTEACHER. RENO TEACHERS ARE ALWAYS EXPECTED TO DO WAY MORE THAN JUST TEACHING. RIGHT. ARE WE GOING TO BE EXPECTING OUR HOTEL WORKERS TO DO MORE THAN WHAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO MAKE SURE IF WE GIVE THEM THIS ADDED BURDEN OR RESPONSIBILITY AND I KNOW THE PUSHBACK WILL BE BUT YOU'RE ALREADY EXPOSED TO IT AND YOU'RE ALREADY HAVING TO DEAL WITH IT SO BUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO MAKE SURE WE'RE COMPENSATING AND GIVING YOU THE TOOLS TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE NOT PUT IN A MORE DANGEROUS SITUATION?  AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING I KNOW AND HOPE THAT THROUGH THESE CONVERSATIONS AND THESE MEETINGS WE'LL HAVE MORE ANSWERS TO IN SOME OF MY QUESTIONS DEPENDING ON THE YOU KNOW, THE PANELISTS MAY HAVE DIFFERENT ANSWERS BUT I FEEL THAT WE HAVE ALL OF THESE HOTEL WORKERS HERE YOU ARE THE EXPERTS YOU WORK IN THESE HOTELS. YOU KNOW, SO TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM YOU LIKE WHAT CONDITIONS WOULD NEED TO BE PRESENT OR WHAT LIKE GUT FEELING WOULD YOU WANT TO HAVE AND THEN HOW DOES THAT NOT VIOLATE THE PRIVACY OF A HOTEL GUEST TO WANT TO MAKE A ROOM CHECK, TO WANT TO UNLOCK THE DOOR AND TO WANT TO IGNORE THE STUDENTS DO NOT DISTURB SIGN AND ALSO I THINK I SAW THAT AND ALSO YOU KNOW THINKING HAS OUR ROOM ATTENDANT WE'RE NOT VIOLATING THE GUESTS PRIVACY LIKE OKSANA PHONED IN ON THE STOP SIGN WE JUST MAKING SURE LIKE THE GUEST HAS A GOOD CLEANING AND WE SEE OUR BODY TOO BECAUSE AT THE SAME TIME THE RESPECT WHATEVER THE GUESTS WANT TO DO WITH THEIR ROOMS SOMETIMES WE JUST WALK TO THE ROOM AND ACTUALLY I GUESS FEEL NEAR THE SERVICE THAT A MAN WOULD WANT TO DO WITHOUT LIKE ON THE GUEST IS REFUSING TO SOLVE THIS.  SO I DON'T THINK LIKE IS GOOD FOR ANY ROOM ATTENDANT IN THIS ROOM LIKE TO FEEL THAT THEN EVERYTHING WELL THEY'RE LIKE I HAVE AN DO NOT DISTURB SIGN AND WOULD EXTRACT LIKE HAVING A DAILY ROOM CLEANING SO TO SAVE OUR BODY AND TO SAVE LIFE I'LL JUST SAY TWO QUICK THINGS. FIRST OF ALL, YOU KNOW, I THINK ON YOUR FIRST POINT I THINK YOU SORT OF SAID IT WHICH IS YOU KNOW, THE HOTEL WORKERS HERE ARE ALREADY FACING THESE CHALLENGES EVERY DAY. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS, YOU KNOW, TRAINING AND DIFFERENT MECHANISMS TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE EQUIPPED WITH THE TOOLS TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THESE VERY CHALLENGING SITUATIONS AND TO HAVE SOME UNIFORMITY IN HOW THEY'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS THEM. I THINK ON THE THE SECOND QUESTION, YOU KNOW, I THINK I SORT OF TOUCHED ON IT. I THINK THERE'S THERE'S TWO PIECES ONE, YOU KNOW, I'LL PICK THE MANDALAY BAY EXAMPLE.  THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME PROCESS AND PROCEDURE TO DEAL WITH A SITUATION WHERE SOMEONE'S HOLED UP AND LOCKED THEMSELVES IN A ROOM FOR MULTIPLE DAYS AT A TIME AND THERE'S NO CHECK, THERE'S NO ABILITY TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. THIS IS ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT ALSO COMES UP AROUND TRAFFICKING ISSUES.  SO I THINK THAT'S ONE THING WE'RE LOOKING FOR THERE AND THEN ON THE THE QUESTION OF THE ROOM CLEANING, I THINK ONE OF THE OTHER CHALLENGES IS YOU KNOW, THIS RELATES TO, YOU KNOW, BEDBUGS, LICE, YOU KNOW, MOLD ISSUES LIKE THAT IS THAT WHEN ROOMS GO MULTIPLE DAYS WITHOUT BEING CLEANED AND A ROOM ATTENDANTS ARE EXPECTED TO SPEND THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME CLEANING THEM AS THEY WOULD ANY OTHER ROOM. YOU END UP WITH REAL CHALLENGES AROUND CLEANLINESS IN THE ROOM. AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AND I THINK WE'RE IN FAVOR OF IN THIS IN THIS ORDINANCE. SO BUT I KNOW THE BUZZER GOES QUICK WITH ONLY 3 MINUTES BUT THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR. COUNSELOR BREADON THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE THIS AFTERNOON.  I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE YOU KNOW, WE HEAR ABOUT INCIDENTS I'M JUST DOING A LITTLE GOOGLE SEARCH ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN THERE IS A VIOLENT INCIDENT AND IT'S IN A HOTEL IN TERMS OF THE IMPACT IT HAS ON WORKERS LIKE YOU SAY THE SAFETY CHECKS ON ROOMS ARE IMPORTANT.  I THINK IT RELATES TO THE WHOLE CONCERNS AROUND HUMAN TRAFFICKING.  WHAT WHAT IN YOUR OPINION IS IS THE BEST WAY TO HANDLE THAT? I THINK HUMAN TRAFFICKING IS MUCH MORE PERVASIVE THAN WE APPRECIATE.  WE EVEN HAD THE CASE OF THE KNOX SQUARE IN BRIGHTON A FEW YEARS AGO WHERE AN INNOCUOUS SORT OF SHOPFRONT HAD A HEAD ON AND SEX TRAFFICKING GOING ON.  WHAT IN TERMS OF YOU KNOW,  HUMAN TRAFFICKING TRAINING AND HE SAID RACIAL BIAS TRAINING. WHAT'S SORT OF THE KEY POINTS TO FOCUS ON SO I'LL SAY A COUPLE OF THINGS AND I DO WANT TO MENTION ON THE IMPACT THAT THESE THINGS HAVE ON OUR OUR MEMBERS BUT YOU KNOW I THINK THE REAL REAL TRAINING ON IDENTIFICATION PREVENTION AND AND PROCESS IS REALLY IMPORTANT ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING. UNFORTUNATELY YOU KNOW, OUR INDUSTRY WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF THIS CHALLENGE AND THIS PROBLEM THAT WE'RE FACING.  HOTELS ARE A SITE OF AGAIN UNFORTUNATELY A SITE OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THERE ARE WAYS IN WHICH STAFF WHETHER IT'S YOU KNOW, FROM THE FRONT DESK TO, YOU KNOW, FOLKS WHO ARE WORKING ON THE FLOORS CAN BE TRAINED TO ACTUALLY LOOK FOR PATTERNS TO TRY TO IDENTIFY WHEN AND WHERE HUMAN TRAFFICKING MIGHT BE HAPPENING . AND THOSE ARE BASED ON YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, AGE AGE DISCREPANCIES AND THOSE ARE BASED ON LOOKING AT BEHAVIOR IN CERTAIN ROOMS. RIGHT. IF THERE'S A ROOM THAT YOU HAVE WHERE THERE'S A DO NOT DISTURB FOR MULTIPLE DAYS AND MULTIPLE INDIVIDUALS GOING IN AND OUT OF THE ROOM, THAT MIGHT BE A SIGN. AND SO THERE IS, YOU KNOW, A FAIRLY COMPREHENSIVE CHECKLIST THAT FOLKS COULD BE TRAINED ON AND AND WORK ON AND I THINK YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT THE INDUSTRY DOES DO THIS IN SOME PLACES BUT THERE'S NOT A CONSISTENCY IN PRACTICE THAT WE'VE SEEN. YOU KNOW, WE REPRESENT A LOT OF DIFFERENT HOTELS IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT PLACES AND WE THINK A CONSISTENCY IN PRACTICE WOULD BE VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE FRANKLY I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF THERE ARE EXPERTS WHO KNOW HOW TO DO THIS AND WHO DON'T KNOW IT'S AN ARRAIGNMENT PANEL ON IT LATER.  SO YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE THE KIND OF ISSUES THAT I THINK ARE IMPORTANT.  I MEAN I THINK ON THE IMPACT OF THIS AND LOOK I MEAN I I WAS AT THE MOXY HOTEL MEETING WITH OUR MEMBERS THE DAY AFTER THE MURDER SUICIDE HAPPENED AT THE MOXY HOTEL AND YOU KNOW, IT'S EXTREMELY INTENSE ON THE INDIVIDUAL GIRLS WHO ARE ON THE FRONT LINES OF THESE THINGS WHEN THERE IS THIS KIND OF VIOLENCE IN THESE PROPERTIES, YOU KNOW, TO THE POINT WHERE INDIVIDUALS, YOU KNOW, I THINK MAY NOT WANT TO RETURN TO WORK BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN EXPOSED TO THIS LEVEL OF , YOU KNOW, VIOLENCE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL HARM AND TRAUMA. RIGHT. AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE'RE SO INVESTED IN PREVENTION AT ANY COST RATE, IF WE CAN GET MORE PREVENTION THERE WILL BE FEWER HOTEL WORKERS WHO ARE TRAUMATIZED AND THEY'LL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO ENJOY GOING TO WORK AND DOING WHAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING WHICH IS WELL, WELCOMING GUESTS TO BOSTON. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. TIME'S UP. THANK YOU. COUNSELOR. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD AND COUNSELOR WEBER. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND THANK YOU PANEL FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND FOR ALL THE MEMBERS OF LOCAL 26 FOR SHOWING UP AND SUPPORT. IT'S GREAT TO SEE SUCH A LARGE SHOWING.  I'M LOOKING AT THESE THE LIST THE PURPOSE HERE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE MENTIONED THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING REDUCING INTO THE BEDBUGS WORKER GUEST SAFETY I THINK YOU'D BE HARD PRESSED TO FIND ANYONE THAT WOULD NOT WANT TO SEE THESE ALWAYS GET BETTER KNOWING PERFECTIONS IMPOSSIBLE BUT WE SHOULD ALWAYS BE STRIVING FOR THESE GOALS ESPECIALLY FOR THE WORKERS AS WELL BECAUSE THE FOLKS WHO STAY AT THE HOTEL CAN HAVE A SAFE STAY UNLESS THE WORKERS THEMSELVES ARE SAFE AS WELL. RIGHT PROVIDE THE BEST SERVICE BUT FOR MY OWN EDUCATION COULD YOU PERHAPS GIVE ME A BASELINE OF THE TRAINING THAT OCCURS AROUND THESE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES NOW AND MAYBE IF YOU COULD PICK SORT OF THE BIGGEST ONES WHERE YOU SEE A NEED FOR ENHANCED TRAINING AROUND THAT AND WHAT THAT SORT OF LOOKS LIKE IN 2 MINUTES PLEASE AND THANK YOU. YEAH NO I CAN'T DO IT. YEAH NO LOOK HERE'S WHAT I'LL SAY IS IS CERTAINLY THE INDUSTRY YOU KNOW LOOKS AT THESE THINGS AND UNDERSTANDS THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME SORT OF TRAINING OR SOME SORT OF PRACTICE IN PLACE TO TRY TO ADDRESS THEM. I'M NOT GOING TO DENY THAT THAT'S TRUE.  I THINK THE CHALLENGE COMES IN THAT WE DON'T SEE ANY YOU KNOW, WE REPRESENT A LOT OF WORKERS AND A LOT OF PROPERTIES BOTH HERE AND AROUND THE COUNTRY. WE DON'T SEE A LOT OF CONSISTENCY IN HOW THIS IS DONE AND FRANKLY DON'T SEE A LOT OF REGULARITY IN TERMS OF THESE KIND OF TRAININGS AND SORT OF REFRESHING THE TRAINING, TRYING TO LOOK AT ARE THERE NEW EMPLOYEES HERE THAT WE NEED TO WALK THROUGH THE TRAINING? AND SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, AN INDUSTRY IS GOING TO TELL YOU YES, WE'LL POLICE OURSELVES, WE'LL DO WE'LL DO THE WORK OURSELVES, WE'LL DO THE WORK OURSELVES. BUT THE REALITY THAT I THINK EVERYONE WHO WORKS IN THE HOTEL INDUSTRY HERE WOULD SAY IS THERE'S NO CONSISTENCY IN TERMS OF THE TRAINING AND THE PRACTICE OF THE TRAINING ON OF THESE ISSUES NO MATTER WHAT THE INTENTION MIGHT BE TO ACTUALLY TRY TO TRAIN ON THESE ON THESE IMPORTANT HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERNS. AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE'RE LOOKING AND WE'RE SO SUPPORTIVE OF THIS ORDINANCE IS TO ACTUALLY BRING TOGETHER A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO EXPERTS WHO ARE EMPOWERED BY THE CITY WHO HAVE THE WEIGHT OF THE CITY BEHIND THEM WHO CAN LOOK AT THIS, DETERMINE WHAT THE STANDARDS SHOULD BE AND THEN GO OUT AND MAKE SURE THAT THOSE THINGS ARE ACTUALLY HAPPENING RIGHT. BECAUSE THAT LAST PIECE IS PROBABLY THE BIGGEST CONCERN THAT I HAVE IS THERE CAN BE THE BEST TRAINING AND THE BEST PREPARATION IN THE BUT IF YOU'RE NOT ACTUALLY FOLLOWING THROUGH AND DOING IT ON A CONSISTENT BASIS ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE CUTTING BACK ON SECURITY AND CUTTING BACK ON,  YOU KNOW, ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF FOLKS WHO WORK IN YOU KNOW, IN THE PROPERTIES, I'M CONCERNED THAT AND I THINK WE ARE ALL CONCERNED THAT THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE DONE IN A CONSISTENT AND EFFECTIVE BASIS . AND THAT'S PART OF THE REASON WE STILL SEE SO MANY CHALLENGES WITH THESE ISSUES IN THE PROPERTIES ON A DAILY AND WEEKLY BASIS. UNDERSTOOD.  HEY, WELL DONE. DID IT? THANK YOU, COUNSELOR FITZGERALD. COUNSELOR WEBER AND THEN COUNSELOR LOUIJEUNE. THANK YOU, CHAIR. I GUESS JUST TAKING A STEP BACK FOR SUZANNE OR ESATA OR CARLOS TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU WHEN THERE IS HUMAN TRAFFICKING GOING ON, WHAT DO YOU SEE AS A IN THE HOTEL AS A WORKER?  WELL, USUALLY WHAT YOU WOULD NOTICE IS THE PERSON WHO IS BEING SEX TRAFFICKED, HAS NO EYE CONTACT, DOES NOT ENGAGE WITH ANYBODY.  THE PERSON WHO IS WITH THEM OR THE ADULT IN MANY CASES IS THE ONE THAT SPEAKS FOR THEM. SO THEY CAN'T EVEN THEY DON'T CHECK IN. IF SOMEONE ASKS THEM A QUESTION THEY LOOK AT THAT PERSON, THEY DON'T EVEN TALK OR THEY'RE LOOKING DOWN AT THE FLOOR. THERE'S NO EYE CONTACT WHATSOEVER. THERE'S NO ENGAGING NOTHING.  YEAH, HE SAID SO HAS A ROOMMATE AND YOU'RE THE SOON TO CHECK IN THEY'RE GOING TO PUT DINNER JUST OUTSIDE AND THEY DON'T WANT SERVICE. THE ONLY TIME YOU'LL SEE THE REQUEST AN OBVIOUS ONE TO PUT THE TOWEL BY THE DOOR AND YOU'LL HAVE TO BRING THE TOWEL EMPLOYEE BY THE DOOR FOR THEM TO PICK IT UP AND PUT IT IN THE ROOM SO THAT MEN LIKE THAT PERSON DON'T WANT CONTACT.  SOMETHING FISHY IS GOING ON.  IS THERE A DIFFERENCE IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE GOING IN AND OUT OF THE ROOMS OR DO YOU NOTICE ANYTHING THERE?  SOMETIMES YOU JUST MAKE SURE BY THE ON THE WINDOW THAT THEY HAVE A LITTLE WINDOW TO CHECK SOMEBODY IS OUTSIDE ON THEM TO SNEAK IN AND YOU KNOW, MOST OF THE TIME THEY STAY BY THE END OF THE DOOR OR LIKE BECAUSE THE ROOM WHEN THEY SEE THE HALLWAY SOMEBODY COME IN SO SO I MEAN CURRENTLY ARE THERE ANY DO YOU GET ANY ADVICE ARE THERE ANY RULES IN PLACE FOR WHAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING AND YOU SEE THAT WE DO OCCASIONALLY. WE HAVEN'T HAD ONE IN A LONG TIME LIKE SOME COMPUTER TRAINING. THAT'S ALL IT IS. IT'S JUST COMPUTER TRAINING. THERE'S NO CLASSES ON IT. IT'S JUST COMPUTER TRAINING AND WE HAVEN'T HAD THAT IN QUITE SOME TIME. SO IS IS THERE IS NO ONE TO GO TO TALK TO AT THE HOTEL?  WELL, YES. IF WE NOTICE SOMETHING WE TELL OUR MANAGER. OKAY. BUT THERE'S ALREADY THERE'S NO TRAINING OR IS THERE ANY TRAINING OR DO THEY GIVE YOU A GUIDELINE FOR WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU SEE THAT THE GUIDELINE IS IT'S JUST A COMPUTER TRAINING THAT IT JUST IT'S LIKE A REFRESHER. IT'S LIKE MAYBE ONCE A YEAR THERE'S REALLY NO GUIDELINE.  OKAY, I'VE JUST DONE JUST ONE LAST COMMENT CHAIR. I'M SORRY I HAVE TO LEAVE TO ATTEND A MEETING RELATED TO A HOMICIDE INVOLVING A YOUNG MAN IN MY DISTRICT BUT DON'T FOR YOUR MEMBERS DON'T TAKE ME LEAVING AS AS ANY INDICATION OF WHAT I THINK ABOUT THIS. I STRONGLY SUPPORT THE FAIR TREATMENT OF OUR HOTEL WORKERS IN BOSTON AND I STRONGLY URGE OUR HOTELS TO TREAT OUR WORKERS FAIRLY IN OUR CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR THAT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE CHAIR AND THE SPONSORS ON THIS IMPORTANT ORDINANCE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR WEBER, COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE AND THEN COUNSELOR FLYNN THANK YOU SO MUCH. CHAIR AND TO THE SPONSORS FOR BRINGING THIS IMPORTANT MATTER BEFORE US. THANK YOU TO THE MEMBERS OF LOCAL 26 FOR BEING HERE AND YOUR ADVOCACY AND THANK YOU TO ASSATA AND TO SUZANNA AND CARLOS FOR BEING HERE. I, I WOULD RECENTLY AT AN AIRPORT AND I SAW THAT THERE WAS A SIGN AND IT SAYS IF YOU YOU KNOW AND IT WAS IN THE BATHROOMS AND IT SAID IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY IN A SITUATION WHERE YOU'RE BEING TRAFFICKED AND YOU YOU KNOW BECAUSE PEOPLE AREN'T SPEAKING AND BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT TO TO DO THESE HAND SIGNALS HAND SIGNALS, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE SEEN USED IN PRACTICE AT HOTELS OR HAVE YOU EVER HEARD ANYONE MAKING USE OF THOSE SOME OF THOSE HAND SIGNALS TO SIGNIFY THAT THEY HELP? I HAVE NOT. I NOT.  YEAH. HAS THERE BEEN HAS THERE EVER BEEN AN EFFECTIVE WAY OR A MECHANISM WHERE SOMEONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO INFORM YOU THAT THEY NEEDED HELP? NO.  NO. OKAY. I JUST THINK THAT THAT SPEAKS TO WHY THIS IS NECESSARY IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A MECHANISM WHERE NUMBER ONE, THE WORKERS ARE SAFE BUT WHERE PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY THERE'S A WAY FOR US TO HELP PEOPLE IN NEED BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THESE HAND SIGNALS AND OTHER THINGS ARE GOING TO BE TO BE HELPFUL AND HOW OFTEN OR FREQUENTLY THEY'RE USED.  I YOU KNOW, THERE'S A PROVISIONS IN HERE ABOUT TRAININGS. DO YOU KNOW WHAT WILL HAVE TO BE DONE TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE TRAININGS ARE TO FOLKS OF VARIOUS EDUCATION LEVELS AND AWARENESS LANGUAGE YOU KNOW THE NUMBER OF LANGUAGES THAT ARE REPRESENTED BY PEOPLE WHO ARE STAFFING AND WORKING IN OUR HOTELS? YEAH. LOOK, I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS ANOTHER ONE OF THE CHALLENGES AND I SUZANNE, I WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SORT OF COMPUTER BASED TRAINING AND YOU KNOW HOW MANY OF OUR MEMBERS WORK IN THE INDUSTRY ARE FULLY COMPUTER LITERATE. THAT'S A THAT'S A REAL QUESTION. RIGHT. SO YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE TRAINING ACADEMY THAT TRIES TO GET PEOPLE COMPUTER LITERATE BUT THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF THE CHALLENGE AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS IMPORTANT IN OUR INDUSTRY PARTICULARLY IN BOSTON I MEAN YOU CAN SEE LOOKING AROUND THIS ROOM THERE'S AN EXTRAORDINARY DIVERSITY IN OUR INDUSTRY AND THERE ARE FOLKS FROM MANY DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS YOU KNOW, FOLKS WHO HAVE ENGLISH AS MAYBE THEIR THIRD OR FOURTH OR FIFTH LANGUAGE AND FOLKS WHO HAVE DIFFERENT ACCESS AND ABILITIES TO WORK WITH TECHNOLOGY. AND SO I THINK ANY KIND OF TRAINING WOULD HAVE TO ADDRESS THAT FAIRLY COMPREHENSIVELY.  RIGHT? BECAUSE YOU KNOW, PARTICULARLY I WOULD SAY IN OUR ROOMS DIVISION.  RIGHT. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE FOLKS FROM MAYBE FIVE, SIX, SEVEN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES AND BACKGROUNDS WITH DIFFERENT LANGUAGE LEVELS OF LANGUAGE SKILL AND SO IT'S A VERY SIGNIFICANT ISSUE IN TERMS OF TRYING TO DESIGN A TRAINING LIKE LIKE WE'RE DESCRIBING.  YEAH. THANK YOU. AND JUST THIS.  HAVE YOU SEEN EXAMPLES AROUND THE COUNTRY AT ALL WHERE WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN PEOPLE HOTEL WORKERS TO REALLY BE AT THE FOREFRONT OF STEMMING THE TIDE OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING?  YEAH. SO I DO THINK THIS IS OBVIOUSLY ALIVE AND ACTIVE ISSUE IN THE INDUSTRY THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE TALKED ABOUT AND WE CERTAINLY TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY. I KNOW THAT IN NEW YORK OUR OUR AFFILIATE IN NEW YORK, THE HOTEL TRADES COUNCIL HAS DONE SIGNIFICANT WORK ON ON THIS ISSUE ALONG TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO HOW TO ACTUALLY ADDRESS THIS IN A SERIOUS WAY. I ALSO KNOW THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT HAS COME UP IN LAS VEGAS AS WELL AS A DISCUSSION THAT HAS HAPPENED WITH THE IN THE CASINO INDUSTRY. SO CERTAINLY FROM THE WORKERS SIDE, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE DEFINITELY FOLKS WHO ARE THINKING ABOUT THIS IN DIFFERENT SPACES TO TRY TO TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO BEST HOW TO BEST ADDRESS THIS GOING FORWARD. SO THOSE ARE EXAMPLES.  I KNOW THERE MAY BE MORE BUT THOSE ARE ONES THAT I KNOW OF . I THANK YOU AND I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY I THINK I WHEN YOU WERE LISTING OFF THE BAD THINGS YOU'RE ADDING THE RACIAL BIAS TRAINING I THINK IS IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ACTING IN A CONSPICUOUS MANNER IS NOT MISINTERPRETED AND FOR PEOPLE OF CERTAIN CULTURES. SO I THINK THAT IS GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT AND I JUST WANT TO COMMEND YOU FOR THAT FORESIGHT IN RECOGNIZING THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE TO ALSO GO HAND IN HAND WITH THESE PROVISIONS. SO THANK YOU.  THANK YOU COUNCILOR . I LOUIJEUNE WHEN TIME AND YOU FINISH THIS ANDERSON AND WE'VE ALSO BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR WUERL. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, AND THANK YOU TO THE PANELISTS FOR BEING HERE FOR TESTIFYING FOR THE IMPORTANT WORK AND LEADERSHIP YOU ARE PROVIDING IN OUR CITY. LET ME LET ME ASK ABOUT HUMAN TRAFFICKING. IT'S AN ISSUE THAT I'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. MANY OF THESE HOTELS ARE LOCATED IN MY DISTRICT AND I WANT TO WELCOME THE WORKERS HERE. MANY OF THEM ARE MADE CONSTITUENTS AS WELL.  HOW BIG IS THE PROBLEM RIGHT NOW IN BOSTON IN OUR HOTELS IN TERMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING, EXPLOITATION OF PEOPLE SELLING PEOPLE UP AND DOWN THE EAST COAST BUT STOPPING HERE IN BOSTON IS THAT IS THAT A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE, SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM IN BOSTON'S HOTELS?  SO LISTEN, I THINK WE WOULDN'T BE HERE TO SUPPORT THE ORDINANCE IF WE DIDN'T THINK THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM.  I THINK FROM MY PERSPECTIVE YOU KNOW, ONE INSTANCE IS ONE INSTANCE TO MANY BUT CERTAINLY FROM THE DISCUSSIONS I'VE HAD WITH OUR MEMBERS, YOU KNOW, PARTICULARLY FOLKS IN THE ROOMS DIVISION AND FOLKS IN THE YOU KNOW, WITH THE FOLKS WE DO REPRESENT IN THE FRONT DESK,  THIS IS A REAL ISSUE OF CONCERN. RIGHT. AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW, I THINK BOTH THESE FOLKS GAVE EXAMPLES EARLIER OF THINGS THAT THEY'VE SEEN OR EXPERIENCED AND I THINK EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM COULD GIVE SIMILAR EXAMPLES.  AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT IS A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE, A VERY SERIOUS CONCERN AND YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S AN ONGOING CONCERN THAT I THINK WE CERTAINLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE MORE ACTION TAKEN ON AND MORE MORE PROTECTIONS PUT IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN.  THANK YOU. LET ME LET ME FOCUS A LITTLE BIT ON ILLEGAL DRUGS TAKING PLACE.  BUT I ALSO KNOW WE SEE A LOT OF ILLEGAL USE OF DRUG DEALING TAKING PLACE BUT WE ALSO SEE A LOT OF WONDERFUL HOTEL WORKERS THAT STEP UP IN HELP PEOPLE GET INTO RECOVERY , HELP HELP THE POLICE, HELP CUSTOMERS, HELP GUESTS BUT ALSO TRY TO PROVIDE THE BEST AND SAFE, SAFEST ENVIRONMENT FOR EVERYBODY.  HOW SIGNIFICANT IS THE DRUG TRAFFICKING? JUST FOLLOWING UP ON THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING, HOW HOW SIGNIFICANT IS THE DRUG TRAFFICKING ISSUE AND IN BOSTON'S HOTELS?  SO MY HOTEL IS CONNECTED TO THE AIRPORT RIGHT THROUGH THE SKYBRIDGE RIGHT.  SO WE'VE NOTICED ESPECIALLY ON THE OVERNIGHT YOU KNOW, ANYONE CAN WALK THROUGH. RIGHT. SO A LOT OF TIMES WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE STRUNG OUT OR ON DRUGS NOT PARTICULARLY, YOU KNOW, SELLING DRUGS BUT THEY ARE ON DRUGS AND THEY'RE TRYING TO SLEEP ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF THE HOTEL.  WE DON'T KNOW WHO THEY'RE YOU KNOW, AND SOMETIMES IT COULD BE DANGEROUS BECAUSE IF ONE OF US APPROACH THEM WE DON'T KNOW WHO THEY ARE. THEY'RE NOT A GUEST. WHAT IF THEY HAVE A NEEDLE ON THEM? WHAT IF THEY HAVE A WEAPON ON THEM? WE DON'T KNOW. YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST SAD.  BUT ARE THEY ALLOWED TO IF THEY'RE NOT CASUALLY ALLOWED TO GO UP TO THE SECOND FLOOR, THE FOURTH FLOOR ESPECIALLY AFTER A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME, 10:00 TONIGHT, 11:00 TONIGHT, THEY ARE NOT BUT AGAIN BECAUSE OF THE SHORTAGE OF SECURITY, IF NO ONE'S THERE OR SECURITY ISN'T WATCHING THE CAMERA BECAUSE THEY'RE BUSY SETTING UP A COURT SOMEWHERE, WE DON'T KNOW WHO WALKS THROUGH THE SECOND FLOOR. WE DON'T KNOW WHO'S THERE. WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY WENT TO THE FOURTH FLOOR, FIFTH FLOOR OR WHATNOT. WE DON'T KNOW.  THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I THINK MY TIME IS UP.  THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME ASK THE EXTRA QUESTION. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR . COUNSELOR FOR A.A. MILNE. COUNSELOR THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND THANK YOU TO THE LEADER LEAD SPONSORS I GUESS YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THIS I THINK I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS FOR THE MAKERS DURING THE WORKING SESSION IN TERMS OF JUST LOGISTICALLY HOW EXECUTION.  I DO HAVE SOME OPINIONS ABOUT OTHER MEMBERS AND I DO HAVE SOME OPINIONS ABOUT THE HOTEL PAYING FOR PEOPLE'S TIME TO BE ON THIS ADVISORY PANEL. SO THAT'S SEPARATE. I THINK IF YOU'RE GOING TO LIKE TAKE PEOPLE'S TIME TO BE ON THIS PANEL TO USE THEIR EXPERTISE AND WHO'S PAYING FOR THAT AND I GUESS THINKING ABOUT THAT AND THEN IN TERMS OF SARA AND CARLOS, SUSANNA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE FOR YOUR TESTIMONY AND I WANT TO HEAR MORE FROM THE REST OF YOUR COLLEAGUES AS THIS IS SUCH AN ARDUOUS LIKE HARD LABOR. IT'S SO HARD ON THE BODY. I REMEMBER BEING A KID MY GRANDMOTHER RETIRED FROM LOCAL 26 AND GOING OVER TO THE HOTELS AND HELPING HER AND THIS IS WHAT SHE DID AND SO YOU HAVE TO DO IT. YOU HAVE TO DO IT TO PERFECTION . IT'S NOT A JOB THAT YOU CAN HAVE FASTED LIKE YOU CAN'T DO HALFWAY, YOU CAN'T LEAVE A THING UNFOLDED. IT HAS TO BE PERFECT AND IT'S SUPER HARD ON THE BODY AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT TO BE IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH CHEMICALS THAT THEN POSES A THREAT TO YOUR AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT YOU NOT FEELING SAFE OR RESPECTED BECAUSE YOU'RE COMING TO A JOB THAT IF YOU IF WE HAVE TO NUMBERS YOU JUST LOOK AT NUMBERS AND NOT PEOPLE AND THEN YOU SPEAK DIFFERENT RIGHT FLEMISH OTHER LINGUA NOT THE PARTICULARLY COMPARED TO RWANDA LEAGUE ALBINOS ALSO LIKE BINYON MILLER SO AND I'M SURE THERE'S SOME LIKE HAITIAN SPEAKING RIGHT AND OTHER SPEAKING SOMALI I SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE FACES HERE AND IF THERE ARE CAPACITY IF WE'RE NOT DOING THAT WE'RE NOT MEETING THE MOMENT IF WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT WHO ARE THE MEMBERS ON THAT PANEL, THEN I DON'T I THINK THAT WE'VE PUT A LOT OF EXPERTS BUT NOT ENOUGH ACTUAL MEMBERS TO BE ON THIS PANEL TO TALK ABOUT THE REAL ISSUE HERE SO I WOULD SAY I'M WAITING FOR THIS THE SECOND PANEL MOST OF MY QUESTIONS ARE FOR THE HOTEL FOLKS AND BP. A LOT OF IT IS GOING TO COME FROM LEARNING FROM YOU GUYS, YOUR TESTIMONY, HEARING FROM YOU AND WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY AS WELL FROM YOUR COLLEAGUES. I'VE TAKEN NOTES ON WHAT YOU'VE HAD TO SAY. I JUST THAT THIS IS A REALLY GOOD FILING AND IT JUST IT NEEDS MORE. THAT'S WHAT I THINK. I THINK IF ANYTHING IT NEEDS MORE AND YOU SHOULD GET PAID FOR YOUR TIME. SO I THANK YOU FOR YOUR STRENGTH. I THANK YOU FOR STANDING THERE FOR SITTING THERE AND TALKING TO US AND TAKING THE POSITION. IT'S NOT HARD. IT'S IT'S NOT EASY RIGHT? LIKE YOU'RE GETTING PAID BY THESE PEOPLE AND THEN YOU HAVE TO COME AND SIT IN A HEARING AND TALK AGAINST A THING BECAUSE YOU BELIEVE IN IT AND BECAUSE YOU WANT TO BE TREATED WITH INTEGRITY. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO MORE IN THIS CONVERSATION SO WE CAN WORKSHOP THIS ADVISORY PANEL IDEA SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY PASS IT. HOPEFULLY WE'RE SUCCESSFUL AND THANK YOU AGAIN. THANK YOU, MR MADAM CHAIR.  THANK YOU, COUNSELOR WUERL THANK YOU, CHAIR AND THANK YOU TO PIANO FOR BEING HERE AND TO ALL THE MEMBERS OF LOCAL 26 AND I AGREE WITH WHAT HAS HAPPENED AND ANDERSON WAS JUST SAYING ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE HOTEL WORKERS SITTING ON THIS PIANO THAT THEY ARE BEING COMPENSATED AND THAT COMPENSATION SHOULD COME FROM THE HOTEL HOTELS BUT ALSO JUST UNDERSTAND AND I JUST APPLAUD YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE UNION ON WANTING TO PLAY A PART IN MAKING PLACES MORE SAFE AND PLAYING A PART IN STOPPING HUMAN TRAFFICKING SO I APPLAUD THIS ORDINANCE. IT'S KIND OF INTERESTING THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS ORDINANCE IS ALREADY NOT IN PLACE. I'M MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE CONSISTENT BASE CONSISTENT STRATEGIES ACROSS ALL OF OUR HOTELS HERE IN BOSTON.  SO JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO THE WORK IN SESSION AND LOOKING FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THIS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR. WE'RE ALL I WILL PRACTICE WHAT I PREACH. I WILL SEED MY TIME SAYING THAT I GAVE A PRETTY LENGTHY OPENING STATEMENT BUT JUST WANT TO EXPRESS GRATITUDE TO YOU ALL FOR FOR BEING HERE. EVERYBODY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING ON THIS PANEL AND THANK FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO DAY IN AND DAY OUT TO KEEP BOSTON BEAUTIFUL, BRIGHT AND VIBRANT AND PROTECTING YOUR COLLEAGUES. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. WE'LL NOW GO FORWARD WITH THE FIRST ROUND OF AND IF YOU WANT YOU CAN YOU ARE DISMISSED YOU CAN GET UP AND GO SIT IN A MORE COMFORTABLE CHAIR.  THE FIRST ROUND OF PUBLIC TESTIMONY WE WILL CALL YOUR NAME PLEASE COME DOWN TO ONE OF THE TWO PODIUMS AND STATE YOUR NAME.  FEEL FREE TO QUEUE UP WHEN I'M SAYING YOUR NAME. ALSO STATE YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND OR ORGANIZATION AFFILIATION. PLEASE SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE AND PLEASE KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO 2 MINUTES IF YOU ARE ON ZOOM PLEASE SIGN IN WITH YOUR FULL NAME. ONCE IN ZOOM YOU WILL BE QUEUED IN THE WAITING ROOM UNTIL IT IS YOUR TURN TO TESTIFY. PLEASE BE SURE TO JOIN WITH COMPUTER AUDIO SO WE HAVE 13 PEOPLE FOR THIS ROUND.  WE'LL FIRST START AND I SO APOLOGIZE IF I AM MISPRONOUNCING YOUR NAME PLEASE . FEEL FREE TO CORRECT IT ONCE YOU GET TO THE MICROPHONE.  FIRST PERSON IS RAY J THE SECOND PERSON IS ADRIAN AND THE THIRD PERSON IS FRAN TO PULL THAT UP PLEASE FEEL FREE TO COME TO THE MIC AND OR IF YOU'RE ON ZOOM TO SIGN IN IT'S DOUBLE OKAY.  GOOD AFTERNOON CONSIDER COLETTE CONCERT COUNSELOR SANTANA COUNSELOR WELL, DURKIN WAS HERE ANY MORE AND MEMBERS OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL THANK YOU FOR THE TO TESTIFY ON THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE. MY NAME IS FRANCISCO SEPULVEDA AND I'M WITH THE IMMIGRANT WORKERS WORKER CENTER.  I'M THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR AT THE MASSACHUSETTS COALITION FOR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH. I AM HERE TO EXPRESS OUR STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE SAFE AND HEALTHY HOTELS ORDINANCE, PARTICULARLY REGARDING THE USE OF NON-HARMFUL CLEANING CHEMICALS IN HOTELS AT MASS. WE WORK TO ENSURE THAT ALL WORKERS CAN GO TO WORK, EARN A FAIR WAGE, BE TREATED WITH RESPECT AND DIGNITY AND RETURN HOME TO THEIR FAMILIES ALIVE,  WELL AND FREE OF WORKPLACE INJURY AND ILLNESSES.  OR IMMIGRANT WORKER CENTER LAUNCHED IN 2006 HAS CONNECTED WITH MANY HOTEL WORKERS MOST OF THEM ARE IMMIGRANT WOMEN WHO WORK HARD TO ENSURE THAT HOTEL SPACES AND ROOMS ARE CLEANED DAILY FOR GUESTS. HOWEVER THEY OFTEN RISK THEIR HEALTH BY USING HARSH CHEMICALS WITHOUT ADEQUATE PERSONAL EQUIPMENT.  WE KNOW THAT CONSTANT EXPOSURE TO THESE TOXIC CHEMICALS CAN LEAD TO SKIN CONDITIONS, RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS AND LONG TERM DEBILITATING HEALTH ISSUES. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. NO WORKER SHALL HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN EARNING A LIVING AND PROTECTING THEIR HEALTH.  THE SAFE AND HEALTHY HOTELS ORDINANCE IS CRUCIAL BECAUSE IT ADDRESSES THESE SAFETY CONCERNS BY ADVOCATING FOR THE USE OF NONTOXIC SAFER CLEANING PRODUCTS AS WELL AS PROPER TRAINING AND OTHER MEASURES TO ENSURE WORKERS AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE WHILE USING WHATEVER CHEMICALS THEY MUST USE IN THEIR WORK. WE KNOW THAT ALTERNATIVES ARE AVAILABLE THAT CAN MAINTAIN HIGH CLEANING STANDARDS WITHOUT COMPROMISING THE HEALTH OF WORKERS OR GUESTS. BY ADOPTING SAFER CLEANING PRACTICES, HOTELS CAN PREVENT HARM TO THEIR STAFF ENSURE THAT WORKERS ARE NOT PUT IN DANGER JUST BY DOING THEIR JOBS AND CREATE A HEALTHIER ENVIRONMENT FOR THE GUESTS WHO USE THESE HOTELS. MOREOVER, WE URGE THAT THESE PROTECTIONS EXTEND NOT ONLY TO WORKERS DIRECTLY EMPLOYED BY HOTELS BUT ALSO TO TEMPORARY WORKERS PLACE BASED STAFFING AGENCIES WHICH MANY HOTEL CHAINS RELY ON TO THESE HOUSEKEEPERS OFTEN WORKING WITHOUT FULL EMPLOYEE PROTECTIONS ARE EQUALLY VULNERABLE TO HARMFUL CHEMICAL EXPOSURE. STEPHANIE AGENCIES MUST BE HELD TO THE SAME STANDARDS AS THE HOTELS THEY SERVE ENSURING THAT EVERY WORKER, WHETHER TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT HAS THE RIGHT TO A SAFE AND HEALTHY WORKING ENVIRONMENT. FURTHERMORE, TRAINING AND PROPER GUIDELINES ON THE SAFE HANDLING OF THESE CHEMICALS ARE NON-NEGOTIABLE.  MS. KOCH BELIEVES THAT WORKERS MUST RECEIVE CONSISTENT ACCESSIBLE TRAINING TO UNDERSTAND THE RISK AND HOW TO MITIGATE THEM IN THE LANGUAGE THEY CAN BEST UNDERSTAND. IT IS ONLY THROUGH EDUCATION THE CREATION OF THE SAFE AND HEALTHY HOTELS ADVISORY PANEL AND THE USE OF SAFER CLEANING PRODUCTS THAT WE CAN ENSURE ALL WORKERS IN HOTELS ARE TRULY PROTECTED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. I APPRECIATE IT.  ADRIANNE ADRIAN WORTHINGTON.  GOOD AFTERNOON, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS ADRIAN WORTHINGTON AND I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF COMMUNITY IMPACT FOR THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION AND A RESIDENT OF THE JAMAICA PLAIN NEIGHBORHOOD OF BOSTON. THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION IS THE NATION'S OLDEST AND LARGEST VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO FIGHTING HEART DISEASE AND STROKE. WHOSE MISSION IS TO BE A RELENTLESS FORCE FOR A WORLD OF LONGER, HEALTHIER LIVES. CURRENTLY 90% OR NINE OUT OF TEN PEOPLE WHO EXPERIENCE CARDIAC ARREST OUTSIDE OF THE HOSPITAL DIE IN PART BECAUSE DO NOT RECEIVE CPR. BUT MORE THAN HALF OF THE TIME CPR ESPECIALLY IF PERFORMED IMMEDIATELY CAN DOUBLE OR TRIPLE A PERSON'S CHANCE OF SURVIVAL. THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION HAS SET A GOAL OF DOUBLING THE SURVIVAL OF OF CARDIAC ARREST BY KNOW THAT TO SAVE MORE LIVES FROM THE 350,000 CARDIAC ARRESTS THAT OCCUR OUTSIDE OF THE HOSPITAL EVERY YEAR, WE MUST INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO RESPOND TO CARDIAC ARREST BY CALLING 911 DELIVERING HIGH QUALITY CPR AND GETTING AND USING AN AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR DEVICE ALSO CALLED AN IED. AS SOON AS IT IS AVAILABLE, THE GOAL OF THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION'S NATION OF LIFESAVERS INITIATIVE IS TO TURN BYSTANDERS INTO LIFESAVERS SO THAT IN THE TIME OF CARDIAC EMERGENCY ANYONE ANYWHERE IS PREPARED AND EMPOWERED TO BECOME A VITAL LINK IN THE CHAIN OF SURVIVAL TO PROVIDE CPR. WE ARE ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT TO INCLUDE KEY PROVISIONS INTO THE ORDINANCE FOR SAFE AND HEALTHY HOTELS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ADDRESS INCREASING SURVIVAL OUTCOMES FOR SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST. HOTEL WORKERS ARE OFTEN THE FIRST TO ENCOUNTER PUBLIC HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES EXPERIENCED BY HOTEL GUESTS BUT OFTEN LACK TRAINING OR CONSISTENT PROCEDURES TO FOLLOW TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THEMSELVES AND HOTEL GUESTS. WHILE IDENTIFYING AND ADDRESSING THESE ISSUES, MANY HOTELS CURRENTLY HAVE ACCESS TO ADS ON PREMISES AND USUALLY PROVIDE AN ANNUAL TRAINING. BUT WE BELIEVE THAT IF YOU'RE GOING TO REQUIRE NARCAN BOXES ON EACH FLOOR THEY CAN BE COMBINED WITH ADS. WE ALSO BELIEVE IT IS CRITICAL THAT EMPLOYEES OF ALL HOTELS REGARDLESS OF THEIR UNION STATUS RECEIVE THE NECESSARY TRAINING TO BE PREPARED TO ACT IN A CARDIAC MEDICAL EMERGENCY . WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU TO ENSURE OUR HOTELS ARE SAFE FOR OUR TOURISTS VISITING THE CITY AS WELL AS ALL EMPLOYEES. MANY ARE LIKELY RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF BOSTON AND ARE PREPARED BY HAVING CARDIAC EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLANS IN PLACE THAT INCLUDES ACCESS TO AIDS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION ON THIS MATTER.  THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE RAY J.  NORIA SAY HI? MY NAME IS RAJA AND WEARE I'M WORKING AT A DEGANWY HOTEL AS A HOTEL WORKER.  I'M IN FAVOR OF THIS AUDIENCE BECAUSE ALL GUESTS SHOULD ALL GET SHOULD FEEL SAFE WHEN THEY STAY AT THE HOTEL AND BOSTON.  WE DO NOT KNOW ONCE EMERGENCIES TO HAPPEN AND OUR HOTEL OR DIFFERENT HOTEL BUT THEY DO HAPPEN AND WE WOULD GOOD TO KNOW WHAT TO DO IF EMERGENCY HAPPENED AND KEEP EVERYONE SAFE. WE ARE NOT A DOCTOR BUT WE CAN HELP THE GUESTS UNTIL THE DOCTOR ARRIVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY. NEXT UP WE HAVE JOHN SILVIA, LISA GOLD, BLACK GRACE AND DR. MARY SPECHT, THE AGENCY HERE AND THEN LISA AND DR. MARY SPECTER.  GOOD AFTERNOON, GENTLEMEN. I'M LOOKING AT AS A HOUSEKEEPER AT BOSTON PARK PLAZA HOTEL. I WANT TO THANK THE THE COUNCIL FOR LOOKING AT THE CHEMICAL WE ARE USING SOMETIMES THE GIRLS HAVE A REACTION TO CERTAIN CHEMICALS AND IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THESE CHEMICALS ARE SAFE FOR EVERYBODY AND NOT JUST THE CHEAPEST CAT CLEANER POSSIBLE.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU, LISA.  HELLO. AS CO-FOUNDER AND CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MY LIFE MY CHOICE, AN ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO ENDING THE COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN AFTER THIS TESTIMONY IN SUPPORT OF AN ORDINANCE FOR SAFE AND HEALTHY HOTELS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON, I WANT TO THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL FOR HEARING MY TESTIMONY INCLUDING CITY COUNCILOR SANTANA, COLLETTE ZAPATA AND DURKAN SINCE 2002. MY LIFE MY CHOICE BASED HERE IN BOSTON PROVIDES A CONTINUUM OF SERVICES THAT INCLUDE PREVENTION AND TRAINING CONSULTATION LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY AROUND TRAFFICKING. FURTHER WE PROVIDE DIRECT SERVICES TO YOUNG PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN TRAFFICKED. LAST YEAR WE SERVED OVER 220 YOUTH OF ALL GENDERS FROM 12 YEARS OLD TO WELL INTO THEIR TWENTIES. 88% OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE WE SERVED HAD A HISTORY OF INVOLVEMENT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. THESE CHILDREN HAD ALREADY EXPERIENCED PHYSICAL OR SEXUAL ABUSE BEFORE AN EXPLOITER DECEIVED MANIPULATE, AIDED OR COERCED THEM INTO THE COMMERCIAL SEX INDUSTRY. THE AVERAGE AGE AT WHICH THEY WERE FIRST EXPLOITED WAS 13 YEARS OLD MIDDLE SCHOOL AGE IN PARTICULAR BLACK AND BROWN GIRLS FROM LOW INCOME BACKGROUNDS ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY EXPERIENCING THIS TYPE OF EXPLOITATION. THEY REPRESENTED 67% OF THE YOUTH WE SERVED LAST YEAR AND ADDITIONALLY 51% OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE WE SERVED IDENTIFIED AS LGBT 80 PLUS. IN SUM, THE YOUNG PEOPLE BEING EXPLOITED HERE IN BOSTON AND IN THE COMMONWEALTH ARE MOST OUR MOST MARGINALIZED RESIDENTS IF NOT GIVEN THE SUPPORT AND SERVICES TO EXIT THESE TRAFFICKED YOUNG PEOPLE GROW UP TO BE THE MUCH MALIGNED OR IGNORED ADULTS IN THE COMMERCIAL SEX INDUSTRY ADULTS WITH LIMITED ACCESS TO WHAT THEY NEED TO FIND SAFETY AND STABILITY.  AS YOU KNOW, THE DAYS OF A BUSY COMBAT ZONE IN DOWNTOWN BOSTON ARE GONE. THE YOUNG PEOPLE WE SERVE ARE RARELY SOLD IN THE STREET. RATHER THEIR EXPLOITATION IS BROKERED ONLINE AND THE VIOLENCE, DEGRADATION AND TRAUMA OF BEING SOLD IS HAPPENING WITHIN HOTELS AND MOTELS.  OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE PLACED IN THESE ROOMS BY THEIR EXPLOITERS AND THERE THEY SEE A STEADY STREAM OF MEN. SOME YOUTH REPORT THERE BEING HOTEL STAFF WHO ARE AWARE AND ARE COMPLICIT BUT MOST REPORT THE SENSE THAT NO ONE KNEW WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN THESE ROOMS. THEY REPORT A PROFOUND SENSE OF BEING ALONE WITHOUT ANY WAY TO FIND SAFETY AND IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE THIS WAY. TRAINING WORKS HOTEL WORKERS, THESE INCREDIBLE FOLKS HERE CAN BE TRAINED TO SEE ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT THEY'RE SEEING AND KNOW WHAT TO DO. AND OUR CHILDREN AND VULNERABLE ADULTS TRAPPED IN THIS HIGHLY ABUSIVE INDUSTRY DESERVE BETTER. ALONG WITH MY OTHER SERVICE PROVIDER FOLKS WHO ARE HERE, WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OF THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL HAVE. THANK YOU SO MUCH, DR. MARY SPECTER. WE ALSO HAVE MARTHA MCCLUNG AND THEN RYAN OR RYAN WHITAKER.  THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU TO THE COMMITTEE FOR ALLOWING ME TO TESTIFY TODAY. MY NAME IS DR. MARY SCUDDER.  I SERVE AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF AMEERA. WE PROVIDE SERVICES TO FOLKS EXITING THE SEX TRADE SPECIFICALLY FOLKS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED SEX TRAFFICKING.  AND I'M ALSO A RESEARCHER ON THE TOPIC OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND THE INTERSECTION BETWEEN ADDICTION AND POVERTY.  HOTELS AND MOTELS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN PLACES THAT HAVE PLAYED HOST TO COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND SEX TRAFFICKING BOTH KNOWINGLY AND UNKNOWINGLY. EVER SINCE THE ADVENT OF THE INTERNET THOUGH, THE PREVALENCE OF EXPLOITATION IN HOTELS HAS ONLY INCREASED. AS MY COLLEAGUE HAS JUST SHARED FROM LUNCH BREAKS TO BUSINESS TRIPS TO VACATIONS, SEX BUYERS AND TRAFFICKERS BOTH BENEFIT FROM THE ANONYMITY AND PRIVACY THAT HOTELS OFFER.  THAT ANONYMITY AND PRIVACY SHROUDS THE CRIME OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND LEADS TO HUNDREDS OF EXPLOITED PEOPLE GOING UNSEEN, UNNOTICED AND UNSERVED. PEOPLE'S BODIES ARE BEING USED OVER AND OVER AGAIN AGAINST THEIR WILL IN THESE HOTELS AND WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY AS A COMMUNITY TO SAY THIS IS NOT WELCOME HERE AT A MIRROR WE SERVE PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE VIOLENCE, HARMS AND EXPLOITATION OF THE COMMERCIAL SEX TRADE. WHEN WE FIRST MEET SOMEONE SEEKING SERVICES WE ARE USUALLY MEETING THEM WHERE THEY ARE STILL EXPERIENCING SOME FORM OF EXPLOITATION IN THE SEX TRADE OR HAVE RECENTLY BEEN ABLE TO LEAVE A TRAFFICKER STORY AFTER STORY INCLUDES HOTELS GETTING STRANGE LOOKS BY RECEPTIONISTS MOMENTS OF BEING CLOSE TO SOMEONE WHO COULD HELP BUT THE LACK OF TRAINING IN HOTELS MEANS THAT FOLKS DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR IF THEY NOTICE SOMETHING WHAT EXACTLY TO DO AND HOW TO HELP. FOLKS BEING EXPLOITED CANNOT EASILY RAISE THEIR HANDS AND REQUEST WHAT THEY NEED. THEIR VERY LIVES ARE OFTEN AT RISK BY DOING THIS. WHEN I THINK ABOUT MY OWN STORY OF EXPLOITATION I KNOW THAT IF THE HOTEL WORKERS I CROSSED PATHS WITH HAD RECEIVED THE PROPER TRAINING SOMEONE COULD HAVE HELPED IN 2020 FOR THE LACK OF KNOWLEDGE, AWARENESS, EDUCATION AND PROTOCOL TO PROTECT PEOPLE EXPERIENCING A CRIME WE KNOW IS HAPPENING IS UNACCEPTABLE. THIS ORDINANCE CAN LEAD TO EFFECTIVE PRACTICES TO SUPPORT THE MOST VULNERABLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND I'M HERE TO TESTIFY IN SUPPORT OF IT.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT UP WE HAVE RYAN OR RYAN WHITAKER, MARY CARROLL AND THEN MELANIE SUGAR HIGH CITY OF BOSTON CITY COUNCIL . THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TODAY. MY NAME IS RYAN WHITAKER AND I SERVE AS THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR OF JOHNNY'S PLACE SAFE EXIT INITIATIVE IN WORCESTER. JOHNNY'S PLACE IS A RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM THAT OFFERS TREATMENT FOR WOMEN IDENTIFYING SURVIVORS OF THE COMMERCIAL SEX TRADE. ALTHOUGH OUR PROGRAM IS BASED IN WORCESTER, WE SUPPORT PARTICIPANTS FROM ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH INCLUDING BOSTON. I'M HERE TODAY TO OFFER TESTIMONY IN SUPPORT OF AN AN ORDINANCE FOR SAFE AND HEALTHY HOTELS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON.  FIRST AND FOREMOST IT IS CRUCIAL TO RECOGNIZE THAT 90% OF ADULT SURVIVORS DO NOT WISH TO BE IN THE SEX TRADE. THEY WOULD LEAVE IF THEY HAD THE PROPER RESOURCES AND DON'T LEAVE BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE NO ALTERNATIVES FOR SURVIVAL. THE STORIES OF THE WOMEN I SUPPORT SHARE MAKE MANY SIMILARITIES. SOME HAVING BEEN TRAFFICKED ON THE STREET AND SOME FROM BOSTON HOTELS. HOWEVER, TODAY I'M HERE TO SHARE MY OWN STORY AS A SURVIVOR OF COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION, I WAS TRAFFICKED OUT OF HOTEL ROOMS AT THE AGE COVID 19 AND TRAPPED IN A CYCLE OF ADDICTION, COERCION AND THREAT. I WAS TOLD TO TELL ANY SEX BUYERS THAT I WAS 21 YEARS OLD EVEN THOUGH I WAS AN ADULT AND MADE ME WONDER HOW MANY OTHER GIRLS WERE TOLD TO LIE ABOUT THEIR AGE AND HOW OLD WERE THEY REALLY? THERE WERE AT LEAST TEN OTHER GIRLS IN OUR CORNER OF THE HOTEL EACH RECYCLING AND ROTATING IN AND OUT OF HOTEL ROOMS WITH 3 TO 5 BUYERS AN HOUR PER GIRL WITH MULTIPLE ROOMS. WOULDN'T SOMEONE BE SUSPICIOUS OF FOOT TRAFFIC?  I WAS KEPT SEDATED ENOUGH THAT I DIDN'T ASK THESE KINDS OF QUESTIONS AT THE TIME BUT IN HINDSIGHT IT'S PAINFULLY OBVIOUS WITH PROPER TRAINING AND RESOURCES FOR THESE ESTABLISHMENTS AND THEIR DILIGENT BUT LIKELY OVERWHELMED AND UNDERSTAFFED EMPLOYEES WE CAN SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE THE CHANCES OF INTERRUPTING THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE AND PROVIDING SURVIVORS WITH A BETTER OPPORTUNITY FOR LIFE OUTSIDE OF EXPLOITATION.  I'M HERE AGAIN TO SUPPORT AND IN FAVOR OF AN ORDINANCE FOR SAFE AND HEALTHY HOTELS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND TO GO OFF SCRIPT WITH JUST A FEW SECONDS I HAVE LEFT AND JUST STATE THAT THERE ARE SO MANY LAYERS TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND I'M HAPPY TO HAVE A CONVERSATION OF THOSE NUANCES AS WELL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND FOR YOUR ADVOCACY AND I APOLOGIZE. I STEPPED OVER MARTA MCCLUNG AND THEN WE'LL GO TO MARY CAROL AND THEN MELANIE SUGAR.  GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS MARTHA MACCALLUM. I'LL SKIP THE ONLY SUPPORT I HOPE THE HOTEL COMPANIES SEE THIS ORDINANCE AS A WAY TO TELL THE WORLD THE BOSTON IS THE CLEANEST AND SAFETY PLACE TO STAY. THIS WILL MAKE TWO HOTELS TO LAST MONEY BECAUSE AFTER THE GOING MANY WANT TO BE SURE DAILY THEY HAVE A CLEAN AND SAFETY ROOM. THIS WILL MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE CLEAN AND SAFETY ROOM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH MARY CAROL, MELANIE SUGAR AND THEN JEN KATZ. KEEP.  THANK YOU. MY NAME IS MARY CARROLL. I HAVE BEEN A SEX WORKER AND ADVOCATE FOR WORKERS RIGHTS FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS. MY FIRST JOB WAS HOTEL HOUSEKEEPING THE MOST DIFFICULT WORK I'VE EVER DONE. I ALWAYS HAD HOUSEKEEPERS AND I SUPPORT THE WORKERS WHO ARE FIGHTING RIGHT NOW FOR GOOD WORKING CONDITIONS.  I AM GRAVELY CONCERNED THAT THIS PROPOSED ORDINANCE WILL ENDANGER VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES WITHOUT HELPING PEOPLE WHO NEED SUPPORT BECAUSE ITS GOALS SHOULD BE TREATED SEPARATELY. THAT THIS ORDINANCE NOT ONLY CONFLATES LABOR TRAFFICKING WITH CONSENSUAL ADULT SEX WORK BUT ALSO GOES TOO FAR AS TO INCLUDE PEOPLE WITHIN DISCUSSIONS OF VERMIN IS OFFENSIVE. I ENCOURAGE THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL TO ABANDON THIS ORDINANCE AS WRITTEN AND FUNDAMENTALLY RETHINK ITS PARAMETERS AND APPROACH AS A HOTEL GUEST FOR BUSINESS AND PERSONAL TRAVEL. I WONDER HOW I MIGHT BE PROFILED IF A LAW LIKE THIS WERE PASSED. IRONIC.  A COLLEAGUE OF MINE RECENTLY REPORTED THAT WHEN SHE ENTERED HER HOTEL ALONE AFTER A FULL DAY OF SERIOUS POLICY MEETINGS RELATED TO SEX WORK, SHE WAS HARASSED BY THE FRONT DESK WORKER WHO DEMANDED TO SEE HER KEY. WOULD THAT WORKER HAVE ASKED A SINGLE MAN TO SHOW HIM HIS KEY? PROFILING WOULD ENDANGER THOSE WHO ARE ALREADY MARGINALIZED BECAUSE OF RACISM, TRANSPHOBIA ,HOMOPHOBIA, CLASSISM AND STIGMA AGAINST SO-CALLED.  THE TRAINING PROPOSED HERE ISN'T NEW AND WON'T HELP PEOPLE THAT SURVIVORS AND CONSENSUAL ADULT SEX WORKERS ARE HARMED THROUGH ILL CONCEIVED INTERVENTIONS ENACTED BY PEOPLE WHO LACK THE EXPERTISE AND SUPPORT NECESSARY TO IDENTIFY AND HELP SURVIVORS OF LABOR EXPLOITATION AND TRAFFICKING. PLEASE FOCUS ON DEALING WITH ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS IN HOTELS AND ENSURING THAT HOTEL WORKERS HAVE GOOD WORKING CONDITIONS. SEPARATELY ADDRESS THE SYSTEMIC ISSUES AT PLAY THAT IMPACT THE PEOPLE TARGETED HERE AND PLEASE WORK WITH COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE BOSTON SEX WORKERS AND ALLIES COLLECTIVE AS IT IS CURRENTLY WRITTEN. THIS IS AN OFFENSIVE AND ILL CONCEIVED ORDINANCE THAT WILL TRULY PEOPLE.  THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY.  THANK YOU SO MUCH, MARY. WE HAVE MELANIE NEXT AND THEN JEN.  MELANIE, IF YOU CAN HEAR US, DO YOU HAVE THE FLOOR?  WE CAN'T. I WAS MUTED. I'M SORRY . OH, THAT'S OKAY. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. OKAY. AWESOME.  SO HI, MY NAME IS MELANIE SUGAR. I HAVE BEEN A CONSENTING SEX WORKER FOR ALMOST FIVE YEARS AS WELL AS A SURVIVOR FROM SEXUAL ABUSE AND SEX TRAFFICKING IN MY CHILDHOOD.  THIS ORDINANCE THREATENS TO HARM ALL PARTIES INVOLVED, INCLUDING CONSENTING SEX WORKERS, VICTIMS OF SEX TRAFFICKING AND HOTEL STAFF.  EVEN DETECTIVES WITH YEARS OF TRAINING UNDER THEIR BELT HAVE AND WILL CONTINUE TO PLACE THE WRONG LABELS ON SEX TRAFFICKERS AND CONSENTING SEX WORKERS. THE IDEA THAT THERE IS SOME MAGICAL WAY OF TELLING WHETHER SOMEONE IS A VICTIM OR EVEN IN SEX WORK AT ALL IS ASTOUNDINGLY IGNORANT EVEN MORE SO REQUIRING HOTEL STAFF WITH LITTLE TO NO DE-ESCALATION TRAINING OR SELF-DEFENSE METHODS PUTS THEIR LIVES AT RISK FOR LITTLE TO NO PAYOFF. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU, MELANIE. INSTEAD OF JEN, WE NOW HAVE ANASTASIA.  SHE'S ON THE ZOOM.  HI.  MY NAME IS ANASTASIA LYNGE AND I'LL BE READING ON BEHALF OF JEN KATZ KEY. MY NAME IS JOHN KAUTSKY AND I HAVE BEEN A FULL SERVICE SEX WORKER FOR 17 YEARS. THE SAFE AND HEALTHY HOTELS ORDINANCE NEEDS TO BE SHIFTED FUNDAMENTALLY WHETHER IT WAS INTENTIONAL OR NOT, IT WAS NOT AN ACCIDENT THAT PEOPLE WHO USE DRUGS SEX WORKERS AND BUGS AND VERMIN ENDED UP EITHER TARGETED OR MENTIONED DIRECTLY IN THE SAME ORDINANCE. WHY ARE PEOPLE WHO USE DRUGS IN THE SAME ORDINANCE AS BEDBUGS LIVES, MOLDS LEGIONELLA AND OTHER PARASITES AND INFECTIOUS AGENTS?  I THINK IT IS CRUCIAL TO PROTECT HOTEL WORKERS BUT I WONDER IF THIS ORDINANCE COULD INSTEAD FOCUS ON HEALTH AND SAFETY AS IT RELATES TO ACTUAL VERMIN AND NOT PEOPLE. ON A PRACTICAL LEVEL THIS ORDINANCE HARMS SEX WORKERS LIKE MYSELF WHO PRIMARILY WORK OUT OF HOTELS.  SEX WORKERS ARE NOT GOING AWAY AND WE NEED SOMEWHERE TO WORK.  IF I'M NOT ABLE TO WORK OUT OF A HOTEL BECAUSE OF PRIVACY CONCERNS, THE NEXT LOGICAL STEP IS TO SEE CLIENTS OUT OF MY HOME AND I AS I CANNOT AFFORD A SEPARATE SPACE CLIENTS HAVING MY HOME ADDRESS IS A SAFETY RISK BOTH PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY.  I WILL ALSO FEEL MORE PRESSURED TO SEE FIRST TIME CLIENTS IN THEIR HOMES WHICH IS A SAFETY RISK AS WELL. I HAVE SERIOUS CONCERNS WITH THE WAY THAT THIS ORDINANCE WILL ATTEMPT TO STOP SOFT TRAFFICKERS WILL IN FACT DO NOTHING OF THAT SORT AND INSTEAD TARGET CONSENSUAL ADULT SEX WORKERS. WHAT SIGNS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING WILL ALSO BE PRESENTED TO HOTEL WORKERS DURING THIS TRAINING?  HOW WILL THEY BE DISTINGUISHED FROM CONSENSUAL ADULT SEX WORK OR EVEN CONSENSUAL ADULT BEHAVIOR THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH SEX WORK? WE HAVE SEEN PREVIOUS ATTEMPTS TO TRAIN HOTEL WORKERS,  CONFLATE SIGNS OF CONSENSUAL SEX WORK WITH TRAFFICKING AS WELL AND THE PROFILING OF MARGINALIZED PEOPLE.  IN ADDITION TO BEING A SEX WORKER. I AM ALSO IN COMMUNITY WITH PEOPLE WHO USE DRUGS WORKING TOWARDS ADDRESSING THE OVERDOSE CRISIS LOOKS LIKE A SYSTEMIC POLICY CHANGE AND DIRECT AID SUPPLIES AND SERVICES. IT LOOKS LIKE HOUSING. IT LOOKS LIKE HEALTH CARE.  IT LOOKS LIKE FULFILLING PEOPLE'S BASIC NEEDS. IT LOOKS LIKE HARM REDUCTION POLICY AND LEGISLATION. LET'S ADDRESS HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND OVERDOSE PREVENTION IN WAYS THAT ARE FOCUSED ON EVIDENCE BASED PREVENTION AND ACTUAL CHANGE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, ANASTASIA AND AGAIN, WE APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S PERSPECTIVE AND VALUE YOUR VOICE IN THIS CONVERSATION.  LAST WE HAVE ELIZABETH SAUNDERS FROM CLEAN WATER ACTION.  YOU'RE HERE.  OKAY THEN THAT WOULD COMPLETE THE FIRST ROUND OF PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY SO MUCH.  WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO OUR SECOND PANEL AND FEEL FREE TO TAKE A SEAT DOWN HERE IN FRONT OF US. IT'S CONSISTING OF SERGEANT DETECTIVE MARK SULLIVAN.  THAT WAS IT ON MY LIST.  WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MULTIPLE ROUNDS OF PUBLIC TESTIMONY SO THERE'S ONE ROUND AFTER THIS PANEL AND THEN ANOTHER ROUND AFTER THE THIRD PANEL.  IF SERGEANT DETECTIVE MARK SULLIVAN FROM THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING UNIT CAN COME DOWN FROM THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, P.J. MCCANN, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER FOR POLICY AND PLANNING ON THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION AND THEN LIEUTENANT DETECTIVE JOSE TEIXEIRA FROM THE SEXUAL ASSAULT UNIT OF THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT. WELCOME.  AND THIS IS ELIZABETH SAUNDERS AND I THINK I WAS JUST CALLED BUT I'M NOT BUT THEN I APOLOGIZE, ELIZABETH, YOU WERE CALLED I DID NOT REALIZE YOU WERE ON ZOOM. AGAIN, APOLOGIES.  YOU HAVE 2 MINUTES AND THEN WE'LL GO TO OUR SECOND PANEL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.  SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. MY NAME IS ELIZABETH SAUNDERS. I AM THE MASSACHUSETTS DIRECTOR FOR CLEAN WATER ACTION AND I WANT TO GIVE TESTIMONY SPECIFICALLY ON THE SECTIONS OF THE ORDINANCE RELATING TO CLEANING PRODUCTS. WHEN CLEANING PRODUCTS ARE USED, THEY CAN HAVE VERY SERIOUS HEALTH IMPACTS. THEY CAN GET INTO THE BODY IN TWO MAIN WAYS. THE FIRST IS THROUGH INHALATION . BREATHING FUMES INTO THE LUNGS. THE SECOND IS THROUGH ABSORPTION ABSORBING CHEMICALS THROUGH THE SKIN, ESPECIALLY THE HANDS. AND THERE CAN BE VERY ACUTE EFFECTS THAT ARE INVOLVED INJURY TO THE EYES, SKIN IRRITATION AND RASH BREATHING PROBLEMS AMONG OTHERS.  BUT THERE ARE ALSO LONG TERM EFFECTS THAT ARE NOT VISIBLE TO SOMEBODY WORKING WITH THEM AT THE TIME OR SOMEONE IN A ROOM THAT HAS BEEN CLEANED BY HARSH CHEMICALS. THESE COULD INCLUDE LUNG CANCER , ALLERGIC CONTACT DERMATITIS, ASTHMA OR REPRODUCTIVE EFFECTS SUCH AS CLEFT PALATE AND DOWN'S SYNDROME.  ALL OF THESE HEALTH IMPACT THESE CHRONIC HEALTH IMPACTS OCCUR MORE FREQUENTLY FOR CLEANING WORKERS THAN THE GENERAL POPULATION.  AND THERE IS TWO EXAMPLES OF COMMONLY USED CLEANING PRODUCTS WHICH ARE EXTREMELY HARMFUL. ONE YOU WILL RECOGNIZE CHLORINE BLEACH.  THIS CAN CAUSE MILD IRRITATION BUT IT CAN ALSO CAUSE CORROSIVE INJURY. AND WHEN IT'S COMBINED WITH ACIDS OR AMMONIA IT CAN CAUSE SERIOUS UPPER RESPIRATORY DAMAGE OR EVEN DEATH. AND IT'S LINKED TO ASTHMA. COURTNEY AND AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS OR QUADS. THIS MAY NOT NAME MAY NOT RING A BELL BUT PRODUCTS USING THESE COMPOUNDS ARE AMONG THE MOST EXTENSIVELY USED. AND THESE ARE SKIN AND LUNG IRRITANTS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO ASTHMA AND BREATHING PROBLEMS AND THEY MAY CAUSE FERTILITY ISSUES. SO THERE ARE CLEAR HEALTH IMPACTS FOR WORKERS USING THESE PRODUCTS. THERE'S ALSO HEALTH IMPACTS FOR GUESTS. CHEMICALS CAN STAY ON THE SURFACES OR IN THE AIR. THERE'S ADVICE TO NOT USE ANY OF THESE CHEMICALS ON FOOD CONTACT SURFACES LIKE CUTTING BOARDS, POTS AND PANS OR DISHES BECAUSE THEY MAY LINGER ON THE SURFACE LONG AFTER THE CLEANING OCCURRED AND GET INTO THE FOOD. BUT THAT MEANS THAT THERE LINGERING ON OTHER SERVICES AS WELL AND WE MAY HAVE EXPOSURE IN OTHER WAYS. CLEANING PRODUCTS CAN LEAVE COATS ON SURFACES THAT STAY THERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME IN PARTICULAR.  SO IF THE ROOM IS RECENTLY CLEANED OR THERE'S NOT GOOD VENTILATION, CHEMICALS COULD BE IN THE AIR. SO THINKING ABOUT ENTERING A ROOM AND BEING ABLE TO SMELL THAT IT WAS RECENTLY CLEANED YOUR NOSE IS SENSING AND TAKING IN PARTICLES OF CLEANING CHEMICALS IN THE AIR.  AND SO SENSITIVE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE GUESTS WHO MAY BE ESPECIALLY VULNERABLE IMAGINE HAVING ASTHMA OR OTHER RESPIRATORY CONDITIONS OR BEING IMMUNOCOMPROMISED COMING TO STAY IN BOSTON, GOING INTO A HOTEL ROOM THAT HAS BEEN CLEANED WITH HARSH CHEMICALS AND HAS BEEN ONE OF A FLARE UP OF ONE OF THOSE CONDITIONS.  OR THINK ABOUT A CHILD PUTTING THEIR MOUTH ON THE SURFACES CRAWLING ON THE FLOOR, PUTTING THEIR HANDS IN THE MOUTH IN THEIR MOUTHS, GETTING MORE EXPOSURE THAN THE ADULTS.  THANK YOU, MARTHA. THAT'S BEEN 2 MINUTES. BUT IF YOU WANT TO PROVIDE A CLOSING STATEMENT, THAT WOULD BE FINE. LAST THING I JUST WANT TO SAY IS THAT USING CLEANING PRODUCTS CORRECTLY IS EXTREMELY COMPLICATED. WE THINK IT'S STRAIGHTFORWARD BUT IT'S VERY COMPLICATED AND INVOLVES A LOT OF DETAILED LEARNING. SO HOTELS HAVE A MORE RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR WORKERS ARE PROPERLY TRAINED, HAVE EASY ACCESS TO INFORMATION ABOUT SAFE CLEANING IN THEIR RESPECTIVE LANGUAGES AND THAT THEY'RE TAKING STEPS TO REDUCE THE USE OF EXPOSURE WHICH WILL PROTECT BOTH WORKERS AND GUESTS.  AND I ENCOURAGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO ADOPT THIS ORDINANCE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, ELIZABETH. OKAY.  WE'RE NOW GOING TO GO TO OUR SECOND PANEL. I INTRODUCED THEM EARLIER BUT IF YOU FOLKS WOULD LIKE TO JUST REITERATE WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT UNIT YOU ARE IN WITHIN EITHER THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION OR BOSTON POLICE,  THAT WOULD BE GREAT AND I'LL PASS IT OVER TO YOU AT YOUR DISCRETION. WHO WANTS TO GO FIRST? I CAN START. I'M P.J. MCCANN, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER FOR POLICY PLANNING WITH THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION. MY NAME IS TERRY THOMAS AND THE CAPTAIN DETECTIVE AT THE FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER WITH THE BOSTON POLICE AND OVERSEE THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING UNIT. LIEUTENANT JOSE TEIXEIRA, LIEUTENANT WITH THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT OVERSEE SEXUAL ASSAULT UNIT HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN UNITS. DO ANY OF YOU HAVE STATEMENTS TO SHARE OR DO YOU WANT TO GO RIGHT INTO INTO QUESTIONS FROM COLLEAGUES? I DO AND I'M HAPPY TO START WITH A SHORT PIECE IF THAT'S OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR COLETTE ZAPATA AND COUNSELOR SANTANA. ESTEEMED COUNSELORS, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY BEFORE YOU TODAY. MY NAME IS PJ MCCANN AND THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER FOR POLICY AND PLANNING FOR THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION. THE ORDINANCE BEFORE THE COMMITTEE TODAY IS AN EFFORT TO PREVENT AND RESPOND TO SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN OBSERVED AT BOSTON HOTELS, PARTICULARLY THOSE RELATED TO THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE OF HOTEL WORKERS. I'D LIKE TO THANK COUNSELOR SANTANA FOR ELEVATING THESE CONCERNS AND RECOGNIZE HIS STAFF'S THOUGHTFUL ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COMMISSION AND OTHER AGENCIES ON THE PROCESS OF RESEARCHING AND DRAFTING THIS ORDINANCE. I WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE SOME BRIEF BACKGROUND ON PUBLIC HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES RELATED TO HOTELS AS WELL AS OUR CURRENT EFFORTS TO ADDRESS THEM. I'LL START WITH OVERDOSE PREVENTION ACKNOWLEDGING THAT TODAY WE CELEBRATE AND OBSERVE RECOVERY DAY.  AS YOU ALL KNOW, SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER AND OVERDOSE DEATHS CONTINUE TO BE A CRITICAL PUBLIC HEALTH PRIORITY IN OUR CITY. THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION'S 2024 HEALTH OF BOSTON DATA UPDATE FOR DRUG AND OPIOID MORTALITY SHOWS THAT EVEN WHILE WE HAVE SEEN SOME ENCOURAGING DOWNWARD TRENDS IN THE STATEWIDE OVERDOSE DATA THE OPIOID THE OPIOID OVERDOSE MORTALITY RATE IN BOSTON IS CONTINUING TO INCREASE FROM 2019 TO 2023. THE MORTALITY FOR BOSTON OVERALL INCREASED 41% AND EVEN MORE CONCERNING IT INCREASED 44.2% FOR LATIN RESIDENTS AND 124.5% FOR BLACK RESIDENTS.  OVERDOSES CAN HAPPEN ANYWHERE AND THEY ARE PREVENTABLE. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT BUSINESSES INCLUDING HOSPITALITY BUSINESSES KNOW HOW TO PREPARE FOR, PREVENT AND RESPOND TO OVERDOSES ON THEIR PREMISES.  TO THAT END, THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION CHAIRS OVERDOSE PREVENTION RESOURCE AND TRAINING WITH BUSINESSES ACROSS THE CITY. THIS INCLUDES OUR OVERDOSE PREVENTION FOR BUSINESS TOOLKIT AS WELL AS OVERDOSE PREVENTION AND DE-ESCALATION TRAININGS. THIS ORDINANCE WOULD CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP TAILORED TO DEVELOP TAILORED GUIDANCE FOR HOTEL MANAGEMENT AND STAFF AND ENSURE A MORE UNIFORM DISTRIBUTION OF THIS LIFESAVING INFORMATION AND TRAINING TO HOTELS AND HOTEL WORKERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. I ALSO APPRECIATE THAT THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE INCLUDES PROVISIONS ABOUT OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY RELATED TO THE USE OF CLEANING CHEMICALS. AS YOU'VE HEARD, THE CHEMICALS IN CLEANING SUPPLIES CAN PREVENT A SERIOUS CAN PRESENT A SERIOUS HEALTH HAZARD TO WORKERS BUT THIS RISK CAN BE MITIGATED MITIGATED WITH PROPER PROCEDURES AND TRAINING. THESE ENVIRONMENTAL AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH DIVISION WORKS TO PROTECT PEOPLE FROM HEALTH HAZARDS IN THEIR HOMES,  WORKPLACES AND PUBLIC SPACES. PRIORITIZING HEALTH EQUITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE. THE DIVISION HAS LONGSTANDING PROGRAMING TO ENCOURAGE TO ENCOURAGE BUSINESS PRACTICES THAT REDUCE THE RISK OF OCCUPATIONAL OR HEALTH RISKS INCLUDING THROUGH OUR GREEN AND CLEAN PROGRAM WHICH HELPS SMALL BUSINESSES LIKE NAIL SALONS, HAIR SALONS AND AUTO SHOPS KEEP THEIR CUSTOMERS AND WORKERS SAFE BY REDUCING THE USE OF TOXIC CHEMICALS.  FINALLY, THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE CALLS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF MODEL PRACTICES TO ADDRESS BEDBUGS, MOLD AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE. INFECTIOUS DISEASE RISKS. THE COMMISSION'S ENVIRONMENTAL AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH DIVISION INSPECTORS REGULARLY RESPOND TO PUBLIC HEALTH RELATED COMPLAINTS FROM HOTEL GUESTS AND STAFF. MANY OF THESE ISSUES CAN BE PREVENTED OR MITIGATED WITH PROPER PROCEDURES SO IT IS IMPORTANT THAT HOTELS HAVE THE INFORMATION AND MODEL PRACTICES TO IMPLEMENT THAT CAN HELP KEEP THEIR GUESTS AND WORKERS SAFE WHILE PREVENTING HEALTH RISKS IS THE GOAL. IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT THAT STAFF AT ALL LEVELS HAVE THE INFORMATION THEY NEED TO IDENTIFY HEALTH HAZARDS WHEN THEY DO EXIST AND FEEL EMPOWERED TO REPORT THEM TO MANAGEMENT AND PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS AS NEEDED.  I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT HUMAN TRAFFICKING OTHER FORMS OF GENDER BASED VIOLENCE ARE A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE AND EFFORTS TO DISRUPT THESE FORMS OF VIOLENCE IS PUBLIC HEALTH WORK AND I WILL DEFER TO MY COLLEAGUES FROM BPD TO SHARE MORE WORK ABOUT THEIR EFFORTS. IN SHORT, THE COMMISSION WELCOMES THIS OPPORTUNITY TO COLLABORATE WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO DEVELOP AND ENSURE A BROAD UNIFORM DISTRIBUTION OF MODEL PRACTICES AND TRAININGS TO MAKE HOTELS IN OUR CITY SAFER AND HEALTHIER FOR GUESTS AND OUR HOSPITALITY WORKFORCE ALIKE.  WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE SPONSOR, THE COMMITTEE AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO FINALIZE AND IMPLEMENT THIS IMPORTANT LEGISLATION. THANK YOU AND I LOOK FORWARD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL MAY HAVE. THANK YOU SO MUCH, P.J.. I'LL PASS IT TO EITHER OF YOU IF YOU HAVE AN OPENING STATEMENT OR JUST OUR OPENING COMMENTS. THANK YOU. I'LL PROVIDE AN OPENING STATEMENT ON US AND WE CAN THEN LISTEN TO ANY QUESTIONS. THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING UNIT AS PARTNERED WITH BOSTON AREA HOTELS WITH THEIR CONCERNS WITH HUMAN TRAFFICKING. THEY'VE BEEN REQUESTED AND PROVIDED TRAINING TO SEVERAL HOTELS IN RECENT YEARS. THE TRAINING IS FOCUSED ON RECOGNIZING INDICATORS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING TRAFFICKING. BUT AFTER LISTENING TO HOTEL WORKERS TODAY, I THINK THAT WE COULD EXPAND JUST BEYOND THE IDENTIFIERS TO INCLUDE INPUT FROM HOTEL WORKERS SO WE CAN CUSTOMIZE A CURRICULUM AND AT THE SAME TIME PROVIDE PROTECT PRIVACY RIGHTS AND ALSO RECOGNIZE AND RACIAL BIASES.  THE OBJECTIVE OF THE TRAINING IN THE PARTNERSHIP IS TO UTILIZE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO HELP IDENTIFY, DISRUPT AND COMBAT HUMAN TRAFFICKING. THESE ADDITIONAL TRAINED OBSERVERS CAN PROVIDE ANOTHER WAY TO HELP ANYBODY THAT'S BEING INVOLVED IN THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING. I HAVE SOME EXAMPLES OF SUCCESS STORIES WITHIN BUT I THINK OUT OF RESPECT FOR EVERYONE'S TIME I'LL I'LL HOLD OFF SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO LISTEN TO MY MONOTONE VOICE THAT LONG AND WE CAN ANSWER THE QUESTIONS.  SO AS I WOULD REQUEST MAYBE ONE EXAMPLE JUST SO WE CAN HAVE A WINDOW VIEW INTO YOUR WORK AND HOW IT DOES FOR INSTANCE IN MARCH 2023 TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING UNIT PARTNERED WITH THE HOTEL MOUSE AND CASH AREA INITIATED INITIATING A PILOT NIGHT DROP IN SPACE FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE HIGH RISK PEOPLE THAT CAN GO AND SEEK A SAFER SPACE SHOWER OR CLOTHING FOOD AND SPEAK WOULD TALK TO JUDGE AND APPEAR ADVOCATE MS. ANDRADE DURING THE TEN MONTHS OVER 20 INDIVIDUALS WERE INTRODUCED TO THE DROP IN SPACE BY HUMAN TRAFFICKING UNIT IN BOSTON POLICE STREET OUTREACH UNITS. OFTENTIMES THEY'RE ESCORTED IN BY POLICE OFFICERS. THE SPACE ALLOWED THESE INDIVIDUALS TO STAY CONNECTED TO LONG TERM CARE AND SUPPORT. THEY WERE ALSO ABLE TO BUILD TRUST AFTER SEVERE TRAUMA WITH BUILDING THE TRUST THE GOAL STARTED TO CHANGE.  THIS HAS LED TO A PERMANENT SPACE IN THE AREA WHERE THEY WILL STILL CONNECT VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS TO BASIC NEEDS. THE MANAGER OF THE HOTEL, DR. JUDGE AND MS. ANDRADE WERE ALL RECOGNIZED BY THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT COMMISSIONER MICHAEL COX AND REMAINED GREAT PARTNERS WITH THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING UNIT . JUST BRIEFLY DURING 2024 THE NBA FINALS, THE MASS STATE POLICE, FBI AND BOSTON POLICE HUMAN TRAFFICKING UNIT CONDUCTED A PROACTIVE UNDERCOVER DEMAND REDUCTION OPERATION IN WHICH THEY UTILIZED SEVEN AREA HOTELS.  OVER TWO DOZEN INDIVIDUALS WERE ARRESTED OR SUMMONSED INTO COURT. NINE OF THESE INDIVIDUALS WERE ARRESTED FOR ENTICEMENT OF A MINOR ATTEMPTED RAPE OF A CHILD AND SEXUAL CONDUCT FOR A FEE.  ONE OF THE SUSPECTS EVEN SHOWED UP WITH A LOADED FIREARM IN EXPECTATION OF MEETING WITH A CHILD FOR SEX.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR EXPANDING A LITTLE BIT ON THAT. I FEEL LIKE THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US TO KNOW AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK, ALL THREE OF YOU. I'LL PASS IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT THEY MAY HAVE. IT'S GOING TO BE 3 MINUTES AGAIN FOR THIS ROOM. COUNSELOR SANTANA THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.  THANK YOU.  THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE AND BEING PART OF THIS OF THIS PANEL.  YOU KNOW, WE HEARD FROM PUBLIC TESTIMONY ALREADY AND YOU KNOW THE TIME HONORED DETECTIVE. I'M SURE YOU KNOW YOU'RE FROM THE SEXUAL ASSAULT UNIT. I MEAN CAN YOU SPEAK TO AND THANK YOU FOR THE EXAMPLES THAT YOU USED PROVIDED BUT YOU KNOW ,YOU HEARD FROM SOME OF OUR WORKERS OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE BEING EXPOSED TO, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE TO SEE AND YOU KNOW, IN SOME CASES DON'T HAVE THE PROPER SECURITY IN HOTELS TO BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY HANDLE IT. SO I MEAN CAN YOU SPEAK MORE BROADLY IN TERMS OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES YOUR YOU KNOW, YOUR UNIT DOES ESPECIALLY WITH SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES OR HUMAN TRAFFICKING CASES THAT OUR WORKERS ARE BEING EXPOSED TO?  OBVIOUSLY BOTH OF MY PARENTS WORKED AT HOTELS AND FOR MANY, MANY YEARS ALL IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. SO I'VE GROWN UP I'VE HEARD OF A LOT OF THEIR PAIN STATE OF THEIR LONG HOURS AND HARD WORK. SO I RESPECT ALL THE WORK THAT THESE INDIVIDUALS DO ON A DAILY BASIS. AS A CAPTAIN SAID, WE'VE I THINK PRIMARILY HOTELS HAVE REACHED OUT TO THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING UNIT THROUGHOUT THE PAST YEAR OR SO WHERE WE'VE ACTUALLY GONE TO THEM AND TRY TO PROVIDE THEM WITH SOME INFORMATION ON SOME INDICATORS OF WHAT TO LOOK LIKE AND THOSE INDIVIDUALS OF REMAIN IN CONTACT WITH SERGEANT DETECTIVE WHO'S IN CHARGE OF THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING UNIT. AND THROUGH THAT WE'VE STARTED SOME INVESTIGATIONS AND CURRENTLY WE HAVE NUMEROUS INVESTIGATIONS THAT ARE ONGOING IN THE BOSTON AREA. SO AT THIS MOMENT IT'S MORE OF , YOU KNOW, PEOPLE REACHING OUT TO US AND US PROVIDING THE THE TOOLS FOR FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES. BUT OBVIOUSLY IT'S SOMETHING IT'S A LOT OF HOTELS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. SO PROBABLY A PLAN WOULD NEED TO BE IMPLEMENTED ON THAT. GREAT. THANK YOU SO.  I THINK I DEFINITELY WANT TO HEAR MORE ABOUT YOU KNOW, HOW WE CAN BE MORE PROACTIVE IN THAT BECAUSE IF IT'S HAPPENING A LOT AND WE'RE HEARING FROM OUR WORKERS I CAN YOU KNOW AND THEN YOU CAN ONLY IMAGINE, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING THIS TRAUMA. SO YOU KNOW WHAT WE WANT TO HAVE OUR CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW WE CAN BE MORE PROACTIVE WITH YOU ALL AND AND WITH OUR HOTEL INDUSTRY WHEN IT COMES TO YOU KNOW ACTUALLY I WANT TO KNOW MORE CAPTAIN YOU KNOW APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. I MEAN DO WE HAVE ANY NUMBERS INTO YOU KNOW, HOW MANY CALLS WE'RE GETTING FROM FROM HOTELS? YOU KNOW, I'M I'M IN REFERENCE TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING TO TO SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES.  NO, NO, I DON'T HAVE ANY SPECIFIC NUMBERS ON THAT.  BUT RIGHT NOW IF I COULD I CAN'T THOSE NUMBERS I'M TRYING TO OBTAIN THOSE NUMBERS AND I CAN GET BACK TO WITH THAT. YEAH. OKAY, GREAT. I THINK THAT WOULD BE VERY IMPORTANT OBVIOUSLY SEE SOME OF THE BUT THAT WAS A PAUSE THAT WE'RE GETTING IN REGARDS TO THIS I THINK AND SEE WHAT ABOUT YOU KNOW, MORE RESOURCES THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, TO AGAIN TO OUR WORKERS AND TO TO OUR GUESTS? YOU KNOW, I DON'T HOTELS SO YOU KNOW MY TIME IS UP. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU ALL BEING HERE AND I'M I'M SORRY YOUR INSIGHT.  THANK YOU, COUNSELOR SANTANA DROPPING MY LIST HERE SENIOR COUNCILOR DURKIN IS NOT AND WE'LL GO TO COUNSELOR BRAEDEN EXCUSE ME COUNSELOR MURPHY HAS ALSO LEFT. COUNSELOR BROADEN YOUR UP AND THEN COUNSELOR FITZGERALD WEBER LOUIJEUNE TEXT THANK YOU AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. I THINK ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT OUR FOLKS FROM THE UNION RAISED EARLIER IS SORT OF THE CONSISTENT SAY AND REGULARITY OF TRAINING IS AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF THE PUZZLE.  YOU DO YOU DO TRAININGS AT HOTELS. I MANY TRAIN YOU KNOW OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE A LOT OF HOTELS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON.  HOW MANY HOTELS ARE YOU ENGAGED WITH AND DOING THOSE TRAININGS ? JUST JUST THE NUMBERS THAT I HAVE AND THE HOTELS THAT HAVE PARTICIPATED.  THAT ONE GROUP WAS THE INTERNATIONAL LODGING SAFETY AND SECURITY ASSOCIATION. THEY WERE HOSTED AT THE PARK PLAZA, THE HYATT HOTEL REGIONAL MANAGERS CONFERENCE, SHERATON BOSTON AND YOTEL ON THE SEAPORT JUST MOST RECENTLY REQUESTED SOME TRAINING. YEAH. YOU KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS WITH REGARD TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING IT'S IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT SCENARIO FROM CONSENSUAL SEXUAL ACTIVITY BETWEEN ADULTS.  THAT IS TRAFFICKED PEOPLE ARE VERY POWERLESS AND AND VERY OFTEN WE TALKED EARLIER ABOUT HOW IT'S A PHENOMENON ALONG THE EAST COAST AND BIG SPORTS EVENTS. IT'S ALMOST LIKE A A TRAVELING SHOW THAT JUST TRAVELS ALONG AND FOLLOWS BIG SPORTS EVENTS AND CONFERENCES AND CONVENTIONS AND LIKE TO SEE WHAT SORT OF READINESS DO WE HAVE TO RESPOND TO THAT. SO WE HAVE A BIG SPORTS EVENT OR WHATEVER A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING IN FROM OUT OF TOWN. AM I CORRECT THAT PERCEPTION? YES, MA'AM. LIKE I SAID DURING THE NBA FINALS IDENTIFIED THAT FORTUNATELY THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING UNIT IS VERY SMALL . HOWEVER, THEY DO WORK TOGETHER WITH WITH THE MAJOR STATE POLICE HIGH RISK OF VICTIM UNIT AND THE FBI AS WELL. SO I THINK COORDINATING THAT DURING THESE LARGE EVENTS THEY'RE VERY COGNIZANT OF INDIVIDUALS.  IT DEFINITELY INCREASES DURING THOSE TIMES AND DUE TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE BEING TRAFFICKED THEY DO TEND TO BE YOUNG PEOPLE AND THEY FROM FROM MASSACHUSETTS ARE THEY'RE FROM BROUGHT IN FROM OUTSIDE THE AREA BOTH MEN. YEAH. AND DO WE HAVE ANY SORT OF METRICS ON THE SCALE OF ALL THAT? NO, NOT NOTHING.  HMM. OKAY.  IN TERMS OF JUST THINKING ABOUT PREVENTATIVE PREVENTION, WHAT DO YOU FEEL IS YOUR BEST STRATEGY IN TERMS OF PREVENTION OF HUMAN TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING,  IN TERMS OF IS IT CONSCIOUSNESS RAISING OR WHAT WHAT'S THE WHAT'S THE YOUR BEST YOUR BEST READ ON WHAT WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO GO AT IT? YES, I DEFINITELY THINK JUST RAISING AWARENESS TO IT. AGAIN, WE'RE ONE COMPONENT AS FAR AS BEING FROM A LAW ENFORCEMENT STANDPOINT AND WE HAVE EXCELLENT PARTNERS, NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS THERE ARE GREAT RESOURCE. THEY'RE ACTUALLY DOING ALL OF THE EXCELLENT WORK THAT ARE OUT THERE. SO THEY'LL THERE'S ANOTHER PIECE THAT YOU WOULD WOULD DEFINITELY NEED TO TO TAP INTO IF YOU WERE GOING TO PROVIDE ANY TRAINING AND CURRICULUM YOU'D WANT TO YOU'D WANT TO SPEAK WITH THEM THE ONES THAT HAVE THE KIND OF THE HOLISTIC APPROACH THEY UNDERSTAND A LOT MORE WITH REGARD TO THAT.  MM HMM. SO THE BOTTOM LINE IS REALLY IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING.  SOMETHING DOESN'T SMELL RIGHT. IT'S IT'S WORTH LOOKING INTO.  YES. YEAH. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR BURTON. COUNSELOR. EXCUSE ME . I'M SORRY . COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE AND THEN COUNSELOR FLYNN.  THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.  I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR THE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT WORK THAT YOU DO THAT IT MUST BE VERY DIFFICULT BUT ALSO VERY IMPORTANT. I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU, CAPTAIN THOMAS. YES.  SO I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS. I IN BOTH THIS QUESTION ASKED THE LAST PANEL IN TERMS OF THE USE OF HAND SIGNALS AS A WAY OF SIGNALING DANGER OR THAT THEY'RE BEING TRAFFICKED, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU SEE USED OR ARE YOU WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A BRIEF RECESS  BEFORE THAT PERSON IS AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY FOR GATHERING AROUND AND HELPING IN ANYWAY THEY COULD.  I BELIEVE WE WERE WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF COUNSELOR FLYNN'S QUESTION ARE WE WANT TO GO TO COUNSELOR QUINN'S QUESTION UNLESS YOU HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME.  THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.  AND THANK YOU TO THE BOSTON POLICE AND EMS AND MUNICIPAL POLICE AS WELL FOR HELPING OUR NEIGHBOR THAT FELL INTO CITY COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF AS WELL. THANK YOU TO THE PANELISTS FOR BEING HERE. THE IMPORTANT WORK YOU ARE DOING.  I WAS LISTENING CLOSELY TO COUNCILOR BRADEN'S TESTIMONY AND I AGREE AND SHE ASKED EXCELLENT QUESTIONS, CAPTAIN, AND JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON HER TESTIMONY.  SO WHEN WHEN YOU ARREST PEOPLE THAT ARE ENGAGED IN IN THIS CRIME, ESPECIALLY THE PEOPLE EXPLOITING THE THE THE WOMAN AT THESE HOTELS, UNDERAGE WOMAN BUT THAT'S THAT'S STATUTORY RAPE IS THAT IT COULD BE.  THAT IS STATUTORY RAPE, RIGHT? IT COULD BE YES.  ARE THOSE JOHNS ARE THEY ARRESTED FOR THAT CRIME OR ARE THEY ARRESTED FOR SOMETHING A CRIME LOWER THAN THAT? I THINK IT WOULD DEPEND ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES IN THE INCIDENT OR WHAT CHARGES IT WOULD BE PLACED ON. IS THERE BUT IT IS IT IS, YOU KNOW, CRIMINAL WE WOULD BE PURSUING CRIMINAL CHARGES WITH REGARD TO THAT AND I KNOW THE IMPORTANT WORK FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER PLAYS I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT MANY TIMES BUT I JUST WANT TO THANK THE DEDICATED TEAM AT FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER FOR THE WORK THEY DO.  WHAT TYPE OF ASSISTANCE DOES THE FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER PLAY IN HELPING THE VICTIMS SURVIVORS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING TO ENSURE THAT THEY GET THE SERVICES THAT THEY NEED TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE ONGOING ISSUES THAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH IN REFERENCE THAT THEY HAVE THE DROP IN CENTER SO THAT THEY THAT THAT FOCUSES PRIMARILY ON THE MELANIA CASE AND MASS OF DOWN THERE THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING UNIT HAS BEEN NONSTOP DURING THE COURSE OF EVERYTHING THAT'S THE ENFORCEMENT GOING ON DOWN THERE. THEY'VE DONE A GREAT JOB COORDINATING WITH THE DIFFERENT DISTRICTS AS WELL AS OUR DRUG CONTROL UNIT AND DIFFERENT UNITS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT. BUT SO THEY HAVE WE WORK CLOSELY THE WITH THE NGOS AS WELL PROVIDING RESOURCES WITH THAT ALSO WORKING WITH THE COURT OVER IN CHELSEA DISTRICT COURT PROVIDING ANOTHER ANOTHER COURSE INSTEAD OF CRIMINAL WE'LL SEND IT TO TRY TO GET RESOURCES IN REGARD TO THAT SO THERE ARE DIFFERENT METHODS THAT WAS TRYING TO EMPLOY NOT JUST ENFORCEMENT.  WE'RE TRYING TO BE MUCH MORE PROACTIVE WITH REGARD TO THAT.  YEAH, THANK YOU AND WANT TO THE IMPORTANT WORK THEY'RE DOING AND THE ROXBURY TO THE SOUTH IN THE AREA OF MASS AND CHAOS BUT ALSO IN MY MIND WERE TWO OF THE INTO SQUARE SOUTH BOSTON REPRESENT DOWNTOWN BOSTON AND CHINATOWN AS WELL SO I KNOW THE IMPORTANT ROLE BOSTON POLICE PLAY IN ADDRESSING HUMAN TRAFFICKING BECAUSE I THINK IT IS A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE AND I THINK WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE CRITICAL RESOURCES TO DO THEIR JOB EFFECTIVELY. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR FLYNN, WE'VE BEEN JOINED AGAIN BY COUNCILOR MURPHY SO WE'LL GO TO HER AND THEN COUNCILOR FOR AN UNDERSTANDING, SIR.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I ONLY SAW YOU EARLIER BUT ONE QUESTION IF YOU COULD JUST TALK ABOUT WHAT COMMUNICATION LOOKS LIKE BETWEEN RIGHT NOW LIKE THE BOSTON POLICE, THE DA'S OFFICE, THE HOTELS AND IF NEEDED LIKE THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION WHEN DO YOU STEP IN IF NEEDED OR ARE YOU PART OF THAT CONVERSATION OR NOT WISH YOU WERE IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO THAT THAT'D BE OH NO.  THEY'RE PIVOTAL WITH WITH REGARD TO THAT. LIKE I SAID, WE'RE A SMALL COMPONENT OF THAT. WE'RE TRYING TO AGAIN THE PROACTIVE PIECE IN TRYING TO BRING LIGHT TO ALL THIS IS MORE IMPORTANT. SO THOSE THOSE NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS ARE VITAL TO ALL OF THIS. SO WE HAVE AN EXCELLENT RELATIONSHIP WITH RIGHT.  YEAH I WOULD JUST ADD THOUGH THAT SORT OF THE BEAUTY OF THE FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER MODEL IS THAT IT SORT OF CO-LOCATE A LOT OF THOSE SERVICES. SO TO THE QUESTION OF WHAT WHAT DOES THE FOLLOW UP RESPONSE LOOKS LIKE THAT CAN DEPEND ON THE NATURE OF THE CRIME, THE AGE OF THE VICTIM AND AND THE FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER SORT OF IS SORT OF A ONE STOP LOCATION WHERE YOU CAN SEE THOSE SERVICES AND I ADDRESSED IT WHEN I ASKED THE HOTEL WORKERS EARLIER ABOUT A POTENTIAL FEAR FOR ME IS THAT WE'RE ASKING OUR HOTEL WORKERS TO DO SOMETHING THAT TRAINED,  YOU KNOW, FIRST RESPONDERS, POLICE, EMS ARE PREPARED TO DO. DO YOU HAVE AND IT'S NOT TO ME CONCERN OF LIKE REDUNDANCY OR IT'S DOING SOMEONE ELSE'S JOB THAT WE HAVE. I WOULD HOPE THAT HOTEL WORKERS WOULD ALWAYS FEEL SAFE TO CALL 911 TO NOT WORRY IF EVEN IF NO ONE SHOWED UP ON THE SHIFT THE SECURITY THAT YOU ALWAYS KNOW BECAUSE I KNOW THE POLICE WILL ALWAYS COME IF THEY'RE CALLED AND NO CALL SHOULD BE CONSIDERED NOT YOU KNOW, IMPORTANT ENOUGH FOR THE SAFETY OF THEMSELVES OR IF THEY SEE SOMETHING THERE. SO IS THERE ANY FEAR THAT THE AMOUNT BECAUSE I KNOW THE AMOUNT OF TRAINING THAT YOU RECEIVE I WOULD ASSUME WOULD BE WAY MORE THAN WHAT WE WOULD EXPECT? AND THEN THERE'S THIS TO ME WOULD BE A RESPONSIBILITY PUT ON THESE HOTEL WORKERS TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER A SERVICE THAT IS A FULL TIME JOB FOR RESPONDER.  THEY AREN'T JUST TAKING ON MORE THAN I WOULD THINK THAT THEY SHOULD EVER HAVE TO TAKE ON.  I AGREE. I THINK THAT THAT IS A LARGE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEM TO ASSUME.  I THINK THE YOU KNOW, THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE AND I KNOW THIS IS IN THE INFANCY BUT CONVERSATIONS CAN BE HAD AND CURRICULUM AND EXPECTATIONS AND DIFFERENT THINGS BUT AS FAR AS FROM A SAFETY STANDPOINT, ABSOLUTELY ANY TIME 911 REGARDLESS OF ANY WHATEVER THE CRIME MAY BE YOU KNOW WITH WITH THE HOTELS DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT YOU CAN ALWAYS CALL 911.  THERE ARE OTHER METHODS CRIME STOPPERS THAT'S ALL ANONYMOUS THERE ARE DIFFERENT METHODS TEXT TIPS, DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE AND THEY CAN RELAY INTO OUR UNITS FOR FOUR DIFFERENT INVESTIGATIONS BUT FROM AN EMERGENCY STANDPOINT ABSOLUTELY IN LIKE WE SAID EARLIER, OBVIOUSLY EVEN IF THEY DON'T WANT TO BE THEY'RE EXPOSED TO IT AND THEY SEE IT AND I DO SEE THEM AS A VERY IMPORTANT PARTNER IN HELPING HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND ALL OF THE OTHER CONCERNS WE HAVE SO IN NO WAY IS IT LIKE SAYING ONE COULD DO BETTER OR BUT MAKING SURE LIKE MY FIRST QUESTION WAS AROUND THE COMMUNICATION SO I THINK A BIG PART FOR ME GOING FORWARD LIKE YOU SAID, THIS IS IN THE INFANCY OF MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE'S VOICES ARE HEARD AND HOW ARE WE MAKING SURE THAT NO ONE IS DOING SOMETHING THAT SOMEONE ELSE SHOULD BE DOING? YOU KNOW, AT THE END EVERY LIKE HOTEL WORKERS ARE SAFER AND WE ARE DOING A BETTER JOB AT STOPPING SOME OF THIS, YOU KNOW, HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND OTHER THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN OUR HOTELS. WELL, LIKE I SAID, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET THEIR FEEDBACK TO SAY THESE ARE THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WE'RE RUNNING INTO AND THEN WE CAN CUSTOMIZE SOMETHING LIKE THAT OR I'M NOT SURE IF THE HOTELS HOWEVER ANYBODY DOES IT BUT WE CAN SIT DOWN AND WE HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND AND FIGURE OUT WHAT EXACTLY WE NEED TO TO TRAIN EVERYBODY IN AND YOU KNOW, PROVIDE THOSE EXPECTATIONS AT THAT TIME. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WITH APOLOGIES AND NO DISRESPECT TO OUR. MADAM PRESIDENT, I WILL GO BACK TO COUNCILOR RUCHI LOUIJEUNE FOR ABOUT A MINUTE AND A HALF. THANK YOU AND SORRY I WAS IN THE MIDST OF ASKING MY QUESTIONS AND BUT I ALSO JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE I WAS OUT THERE IT WAS LATE AND COMING IN JUST EVERYONE WAS JUST AMAZING. OUR MUNICIPAL POLICE OFFICERS AND EVERYONE IS JUST ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MANY OF US I THINK I DON'T KNOW IF I EVEN ABOUT TO ASK MY QUESTION TO YOU BUT IT WAS ABOUT THE HAND SIGNALS AND WHETHER YOU'VE SEEN THEM EFFECTIVE OR WHAT. WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN EFFECTIVE FROM VICTIM TO PERSON WHO COULD HELP WHAT IS WHAT HAVE BEEN THE EFFECTIVE LINKS BETWEEN I THINK WHEN THEY FOLLOW IN THESE IDENTIFIERS THAT WE'VE PROVIDED THAT'S VERY HELPFUL HAVE NOT HEARD PERSONALLY ANYTHING WITH REGARD TO HAND SIGNALS OR DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT BUT I CAN GET SOME MORE INFORMATION ON THAT SEE IF IF THERE WAS ANYTHING WITHIN THEIR UNITS THAT THEY COULD COME UP WITH.  OKAY. YOU MENTIONED ONE OF THE SUCCESS STORIES WAS CREATING I GUESS I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU CALL THE SPACES BUT SAFE SPACES FOR FOLKS WHO ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE AND YOU GAVE THE EXAMPLE OF MASS IN CARS AND I THINK YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT VICTIMS OF OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN PART, IS THAT CORRECT? YES, MA'AM. BUT FOR ME IT DIDN'T SOUND AS THOUGH THAT YOU YOU'RE PROVIDING SPACE FOR THEM. BUT THERE WASN'T LIKE AN EXIT STRATEGY FROM THE ACTUAL TRAFFICKING. IS THERE DIFFICULTY IN MAKING THAT HAPPEN OR IF YOU COULD JUST EXPAND EXPAND A BIT MORE ON THAT? WELL, I THINK WHAT IT WAS SET UP FOR IS THAT IT'S REAL DIFFICULT, YOU KNOW, WHEN DEPENDING ON WHAT TIME OF DAY IT IS OR DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT NOT EVERYTHING IS IS OCCURRING DURING THE DAY WHEN THE COURTS ARE OPEN OR THERE ARE COUNCILS AROUND OR DIFFERENT DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT. SO THIS WAS A DROP IN CENTER THAT PRIMARILY WAS BEING UTILIZED THAT NIGHT AND THE MOST IMPORTANT AND SUCCESSFUL THINGS WILL COME OUT OF INTERRUPTING THINGS RIGHT AWAY WHEN THAT PERSON'S THERE. I THINK THAT WAS THE METHOD BEHIND THAT.  SO THEY HAD THESE FOLKS AVAILABLE SO YOU COULD BRING THEM IN AND THEY COULD PROVIDE THOSE DIFFERENT RESOURCES THAT THEY NEEDED LIKE YOU KNOW, JUST AT THE VERY LEAST THE CLOTHING, THE SHOWER AND AND HOPEFULLY MAKE THEM FEEL COMFORTABLE AND TRY TO GET THEM SERVICES FROM THERE. I THINK THERE'S MORE SUCCESS WHEN YOU'RE INTERRUPTING THINGS IMMEDIATELY LIKE THAT AS OPPOSED TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING FOR YOU TOMORROW RETURN BACK HERE. IT'S LESS SUCCESSFUL THERE.  OKAY. THANK YOU LOUIJEUNE OH OKAY. ONE MORE QUESTION. THANK YOU. AND IN ADDITION TO THIS ORDINANCE WHICH I WANT TO THANK THE MAKERS FOR FOR FILING AND THINKING ABOUT WHAT ELSE WE ON THE COUNCIL COULD BE DOING I FILED AN ORDINANCE IN MARCH IN JANUARY RECOGNIZING THAT MONTH AS HUMAN TRAFFICKING MONTH AND BUILDING AWARENESS AROUND IT. BUT WHAT ELSE DO YOU THINK AT THIS BODY WHAT WE COULD BE DOING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING OR TO HELP ANY OF YOU IN YOUR WORK IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS OR ANYTHING THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH US, I THINK WE'D BE WELCOME BACK BROADLY.  I MEAN I THINK THAT'S THAT'S A GREAT PLACE TO START AWARENESS BUILDING. I THINK YOU KNOW, WE'RE HERE OUR FOCUS IN THIS HEARING IS ABOUT HOTELS BUT THERE ARE CERTAINLY OTHER VENUES WHERE SIMILAR EDUCATION AND OUTREACH TRAINING MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE. SO MAYBE THIS OR IT BECOMES LAW COULD BE A TEMPLATE FOR OTHER BEST PRACTICE SHARING AMONG OTHER INDUSTRIES AND AWARENESS BUILDING IN THE COMMUNITY. I THINK SOME OF THE BIG LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS THAT HAPPEN IN THE SPACE ARE IMPORTANT IN SHIFTING SPEED SHIFTING PEOPLE'S UNDERSTANDING OF RISK RELATED TO SEX TRAFFICKING.  AND YEAH, I DO THINK THAT THIS THIS ORDINANCE COULD BE A GOOD PLACE TO START AND BUILD ON.  THANK YOU. JUST TO FOLLOW UP WITH THAT IS I BELIEVE JUST THE HERE AND THE AWARENESS BEING BROUGHT AND JUST YOU KNOW WHATEVER SUPPORT RESOURCES YOU CAN PROVIDE FOR THE FOR OUR UNIT TO JUST BE HELPFUL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE COUNCILOR FERNANDO SANDERSON MADAM CHAIR, THANK YOU. FIRST I WANTED TO APOLOGIZE ESPECIALLY TO THE AUNTIES. SOMETIMES I GET AND I SAY A BAD WORD BUT I ENGLISH IS MY FOURTH LANGUAGE NOT FIRST. SO THAT'S MY EXCUSE AND SOMETIMES I DON'T CONSIDER WHAT I SAID BAD WORD AND SOMEONE CORRECTED ME BUT I WANTED TO PERSONALLY APOLOGIZE. I DON'T MEAN TO OFFEND ANYONE AND AS FAR AS MY QUESTION IS I MEAN THEY'VE BEEN ASKED BUT I JUST WANTED TO FRAME THEM OR REFRAME HOW WE ARE LOOKING AT THIS AND I THINK THAT IS KIND OF WHERE SORT OF LIKE FOCUSING ON HYPER FOCUSING ON SEX TRAFFICKING AND THE ISSUE OVERALL THE OVERARCHING ISSUE IS THE RIGHTS OF HOTEL WORKERS AND IN TERMS OF LIKE TRAININGS AND OR HOTEL OWNERS THE HOTELS ACTUALLY PAYING FOR THESE TRAININGS AND ENSURING THAT PEOPLE ARE ADEQUATELY EQUIPPED TO HANDLING THEIR JOB OR TO DOING THEIR JOB SAFELY WHETHER IT BE THE CHEMICAL, YOU KNOW, SAFETY, WHETHER IT BE LABOR, WHETHER IT BE HOW THEY'RE CUTTING EMPLOYMENT AND THEN THAT IMPACTS HOW THEY'RE CLEANING ROOMS OR WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THESE RISK FACTORS. AND SO MY QUESTIONS ARE WHAT MY MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ASKED IN TERMS OF , YOU KNOW, FIGURING OUT HOW BPD IS WORKING IN COLLABORATION WITH POSSIBLE THE COMMISSION. SO OBVIOUSLY POLICY ADVISORY OR ANY TYPE OF COLLABORATION BUT LOOKING AT PROACTIVE MEASURES OR HOW YOU MEASURE YOUR EFFECTIVENESS, I THINK YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF HARD TO TALK HERE AND I THINK I WOULD FEEL ALMOST LIKE IT'S AN OXYMORON FOR ME TO BE ASKING YOU ABOUT STRATEGIES THAT YOU'RE USING AND PUTTING THAT ON A PUBLIC FACE TO ACTUALLY TACKLE THIS ISSUE THAT WE DON'T WANT, RIGHT. THE ASSAILANTS OR PREDATORS TO KNOW ABOUT. SO I DO FEEL LIKE THIS IS A CONVERSATION THAT I AM TRUSTING THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS HAVING. BUT I THINK IT'S PUSHING MORE ON THE HOTEL OWNERS TO BE ABLE TO CONTRACT. BUT PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION I USED TO WORK FOR THE CAC WOMAN CONNECTED EFFECTING CHANGE THROUGH DEMICK AND BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION WOULD THEN COMMISSION US. I WAS A HIV COUNSELOR SO I WOULD HAVE TO GO AND WORK WITH WITH SEX WORKERS THE TRAFFIC OR NOT TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY, TEST AND COUNCILOR THEM ABOUT HIV.  SO IT WAS A PRETTY HARD JOB. I WAS IN A COMBAT ZONE LIKE IN THE NINETIES SO IT'S PRETTY HARD AND I THINK THAT THERE ARE WAYS THAT YOU THAT THE HOTELS CAN BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO BE TOO CONTRACTING BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION TO CERTIFY THEIR WORKERS RIGHT TO TRAIN THEM SO THAT THEY ARE HAVE THAT EQUIP EQUIPMENT AND THEN I THINK THAT THE CONVERSATION THAT MY COLLEAGUES ARE TALKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF BRINGING IS COLLABORATION OR BEING MORE INTENTIONAL IN HOW WE MONITOR OR MEASURE EFFECTIVENESS. IT'S TALKING ABOUT OKAY, CAN WE GET AN UPDATE IN TERMS OF HOW YOU ARE COLLABORATING CROSS-DEPARTMENTAL AND I AND I TRUST THAT YOU'RE DOING THAT ALREADY AND AGAIN I FEEL THAT IT'S ALMOST LIKE BACKWARDS FOR ME TO ASK YOU FOR THOSE STRATEGIES HERE IN PUBLIC SO I'M NOT GOING TO I'M GOING TO PAUSE THERE BUT I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO TALKING TO MY NEW FRIENDS HERE THE HOTEL GUYS AND THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR.  THANK YOU COUNSELOR HERNANDEZ ANDERSON I DO JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR THE SERGEANT DETECTIVE AND THE DETECTIVE. I HOPE I'M GETTING YOUR TITLES RIGHT.  UM, SERGEANT DETECTIVE, YOU HAD TALKED ABOUT THAT AFTER HEARING FROM FOLKS HERE YOU WANTED TO EXPAND ON SOME OF THE IDENTIFIERS TO HELP CUSTOMIZE A CURRICULUM THAT PROTECTS PRIVACY RIGHTS. SO THAT LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT YOU DO HAVE A CURRICULUM THAT YOU GIVE OUT. I GUESS I JUST WANT TO DRILL DOWN A LITTLE BIT INTO THE RESOURCES THAT YOU DO PROVIDE HOTELS OR NOT JUST HOTELS BUT BUT EVERYBODY TO COME BACK TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND THEN ALSO I MEAN THIS IS MORE ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT COUNCILOR FERNANDEZ ANDERSON HAD JUST ASKED BUT IN A WAY THAT YOU CAN'T BROADLY ADVERTISE HOW YOU APPROACH INVESTIGATIONS. RIGHT? THAT IS SENSITIVE INFORMATION.  BUT COULD YOU JUST TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW HOW YOU DO APPROACH A SITUATION WHEN IT DOES COME TO YOU THAT DOESN'T ENDANGER THE LIFE OF SOMEBODY IF THEIR PERPETRATOR OR THEIR HANDLER DOESN'T OR GETS ANY SORT OF INDICATION THAT YOU'RE YOU'RE ON TO THEM? LIKE IF YOU CAN JUST SPEAK TO THAT PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF A WINDOW FOR THAT WITHOUT COMPROMISING ANY INVESTIGATIONS . THEN ALSO WE HEARD FROM CONSENTING ADULTS WHO MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT THEY WANTED TO CHANGE SOME OF THIS LANGUAGE.  I GUESS WHAT IS YOUR APPROACH TO THAT THAT ALLOWS FOR ADULTS TO ENGAGE IN MUTUALLY CONSENTED INTIMACY IN HOTELS AND HOW DO YOU HOW DO YOU DECIPHER BETWEEN THE TWO? WELL, ARE YOU TRAINED FOR THAT AT THIS POINT?  WELL, I MEAN, AGAIN, CONSULTING AND CONSENTING ADULTS THAT'S YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON. YOU KNOW, WITH REGARD TO THE TRAINING PIECE, YOU KNOW, WE PROVIDE IT INDICATORS, YOU KNOW, FOR FOR THE HOTELS AND SINCE AGAIN WE CAN TALK OFFLINE AS WELL AS WITH REGARD TO DIFFERENT INVESTIGATIONS OF DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT BUT SINCE ALL THIS HAS BEEN COME UP, WE HAVE RECEIVED QUITE AN OUTREACH FROM THE HOTELS WITH REGARD TO LOOKING FOR DIFFERENT THINGS AND AND REQUESTING SOME OF THE TRAINING THINGS. SO I THINK ARE DEFINITELY WILLING PARTICIPANTS I THINK PROVIDE WHATEVER THEY NEED.  UM AGAIN I THINK IT STARTS WITH THE WORKERS AND THAT SORT OF WE CAN GO IN AND GIVE OUR IDEA OF WHAT WE THINK YOU WANT TO HEAR BUT THAT MAY NOT BE EXACTLY THE PROBLEM THAT THEY'RE HAVING. SO AGAIN WE WOULD I THINK THAT'S THE BEST PLACE TO START THEY CAN KIND OF TALK WITH MAYBE THE THE UNIONS AND THEY CAN FIGURE OUT EXACTLY WHAT THE MAJOR CONCERNS ARE WITH REGARD TO THAT AND AND WE COULD CHIME IN AND ADD DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT. I THINK THAT WOULD BE THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION WITH REGARD TO THAT. BUT WE HAVE RECEIVED SOME SOME REQUESTS ALREADY SO THEY'RE KIND OF LOOKING FOR A LITTLE GUIDANCE AND I THINK LIKE I SAID, THIS IS THE START OF EVERYTHING. SO ONCE WE DETERMINE WHAT WHAT IS REQUIRED OR WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR THEN I THINK WE CAN KIND OF PROCEED WITH IT WITH A BETTER STRATEGY AT THAT POINT. BUT YOU KNOW, WE ARE IT'S IT'S ONE IT'S NOT A ONE STOP AT THE FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER WITH REGARD TO PUBLIC HEALTH. SO THAT'S NEVER THAT'S NEVER AN ISSUE WITH US AGAIN. SO THANK YOU AND I GUESS I'LL DIRECT IS TO TO P.J. A LOT OF STRENGTH IN THIS ORDINANCE AND WHAT I REALLY LIKED ABOUT THE WAY IN WHICH OUR STAFF HAD APPROACHED IT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WITH OTHER OFFICES IS THAT IT DOES APPROACH THE ENFORCEMENT AND VARIOUS LEVELS THROUGH PUBLIC HEALTH FUNDS AND SO UTILIZING THE AUTHORITY OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION, I THINK IS REALLY SAVVY. I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW IF THERE'S ANY OTHER MUNICIPALITIES THAT HAVE DONE ANYTHING LIKE THIS AND IF SO WHAT THE STRENGTH OF THEIR ORDINANCE HAS BEEN THAT THIS MAY NOT HAVE AT THIS MOMENT.  IT'S A GOOD QUESTION. I HAVEN'T DONE THE FULL SCAN. I KNOW THERE ARE SOME SIMILAR ORDINANCES IN CALIFORNIA THAT HAVE BEEN ADOPTED PERHAPS ELSEWHERE.  I CAN ALSO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH AUTHORITY AND WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT IN IN EVERY STATE. IT'S SORT OF A CREATURE OF STATE LAW BUT BUT I'M FAIRLY CONFIDENT THAT THAT WE DO HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO ENFORCE THE TYPES OF COMPLAINTS THAT MIGHT INCREASE AS A RESULT OF WORKERS AND STAFF AND GUESTS AT HOTELS BEING MORE AWARE OF WHAT MAY CONSTITUTE A LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH VIOLATION. IF THEY SEE MOLD THEY THEY MIGHT HAVE A BETTER SENSE THAT THEY CAN CALL OUR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH OFFICE AND SOMEBODY ELSE OR SOMEBODY WILL COME OUT TO INVESTIGATE. THEN AGAIN OUR REMEDIATION IS ALWAYS DONE WITH THE GOAL OF COMPLIANCE.  WE YOU KNOW, WE WORK WITH OWNERS AND WE OUR FIRST GOAL IS TO TRY AND ATTAIN COMPLIANCE WITHOUT ISSUING A FINE OR TAKING ANY MORE DRAMATIC STEPS THAT WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO. SO THAT WOULD BE OUR APPROACH TO THIS IS HOPE THAT THIS GENERATES ULTIMATELY SOME MORE COMPLAINTS IDENTIFICATION OF PUBLIC HEALTH HAZARDS AND THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY THEM ON THE LESS SORT OF INVESTIGATIVE PUNITIVE SIDE. I THINK THE THE PREVENTION WORK ESPECIALLY WITH OVERDOSE PREVENTION COULD BE REALLY POWERFUL ESPECIALLY SORT OF MAKING SURE THAT SOME OF THE BEST PRACTICES THAT THAT SOME HOTELS HAVE ARE, YOU KNOW, REALLY UNIFORM ACROSS ALL HOTELS AND EVEN THIS IS BEYOND THEIR IT COULD BE ENORMOUSLY HELPFUL.  THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT'S IT FOR ME . I DON'T HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS I THINK GIVEN THAT WE HAVE ANOTHER ROUND OF PUBLIC TESTIMONY, I WILL SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE YOUR WORK AND YOUR PARTNERSHIP IN ALL OF THIS AND LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING YOU HERE DURING A WORKING SESSION SO YOU ALL KNOW. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK COUNCILOR WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY BEFORE THE LAST PANEL. SO THIS IS SLIGHT TO SO I'M JUST GOING TO READ EVERYBODY'S NAME JUST TO GET PREPARED AND AGAIN WHEN YOUR NAME IS ANNOUNCED PLEASE COME DOWN TO ONE OF THESE TO MICROPHONES IF YOU'RE ON ZOOM, PLEASE BE SURE THAT YOUR MIKE IS ON AND IDENTIFY YOURSELF. SO THIS ROOM WE HAVE RICHIE ALI FERRIS URI YEP. AS MICHAEL CORREIA, CHANTELLE CARTER, VERONICA TOP WE HEARD FROM ANESTHESIA LATE VIOLETTA FELIX FINE AND DR. ABIGAIL JUDGE AGAIN PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND AFFILIATION SO YOU HAVE 2 MINUTES. GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL . MY NAME IS RICHIE ALAFIA AS I AM A PROUD CITIZEN OF THE GREAT CITY OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. I HAVE WORKED AT THE OMNI PARKER HOUSE AS A DOORMAN MANY, MANY YEARS.  BOSTON IS A WORLD CLASS CITY WORLD CLASS HOTEL CITY AND BOSTON SHOULD HAVE A WORLD CLASS HEALTH AND SAFETY PROCEDURES FOR ALL HOTEL GUESTS HOTEL VISITORS, HOTEL WORKERS AND THE CITIZENS OF BOSTON.  MANY TIMES WE SHOULD HAVE AIDS ON ALL FLOORS AND WE SHOULD HAVE NOT CAN ON ALL FLOORS MANY TIMES TO ADD THE MACHINES ARE IN THE LOBBY AND IF THERE IS A911 CALL THE MANAGER HAS TO GET THE GET TO 88 DEVICE AND GET IN THE ELEVATOR AND GO UP TO THE ROOM.  PRECIOUS TIME IS WASTED AND WE SHOULD HAVE ALL AIDES AND THEM CAMS ON ALL FLOORS TO HELP ALL PEOPLE, ALL THE GUESTS AND I'M IN FAVOR OF THE ORDINANCE OF THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE HOTEL GUESTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, RICHIE.  NOW HAVE YOUR GOOD AFTERNOON. MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL . MY NAME IS URI JEPPE. I WORKED FOR THE OMNI PARKER HOTEL. I THINK THIS ORDINANCE IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE AS A HOTEL WORKER AND AS A RESTAURANT WORKER I BELIEVE TO EVERY BAR AND RESTAURANT IN THE CITY OF BOSTON HAS A UNIFORM STANDARD OF HEALTH AND SAFETY PROCEDURES AND TRAINING THAT MUST ADHERE TO YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO GO TO A HOTEL AND KNOW THAT YOU WON'T GET ANY BEDBUGS AND ANY LEGENDARY DISEASES YOU SHOULD BE A UNIFORM THE STANDARD FOR EVERY HOTEL IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MICHAEL. AND THEN CHAPTER.  GOOD AFTERNOON.  MY NAME IS MICHAEL CORREA. I WORK AT THE HILTON LOGAN AIRPORT AS A UNION MEMBER. WE CAN GO TO THE TRAINING CENTER TO GET TRAINED ON CPR AND THE HEIMLICH MANEUVER.  IT'S AN EASY TRAINING AND IT CAN SAVE LIVES.  I THINK WE SHOULD ADD THIS ADD THESE TRAININGS TO THE LIST OF TRAININGS AND THIS ORDINANCE I ALSO WANT TO CIRCLE BACK A LITTLE BIT TO ON THE THE COMMENT YOU MADE COUNCILOR MURPHY, ABOUT THE BURDEN THAT IT COULD BE ON THE EMPLOYEES AT THE HOTELS. WE ARE MEANT TO TREAT THE GUESTS AS OUR OWN FAMILY MEMBERS SO I BELIEVE THAT ALL OF OUR MEMBERS HAVING THE PROPER TRAINING WOULD ONLY HELP THE SITUATION UNTIL THE PROPER AUTHORITIES OR WHOEVER IT IS THAT HAS TO DO THAT NORMALLY WOULD DEAL WITH THESE CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES ARRIVES.  SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MICHAEL SHANTHA AND THEN VERONICA AND VIOLETA WITH CHANTAL CARTER HERE FROM IRA INC.  OKAY WE'LL CIRCLE BACK AND GO TO VERONICA TOP.  HI THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY. MY NAME IS VERONICA TOP. I'M A PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE GILLIAN RENNEY STEPPING STRONG CENTER FOR TRAUMA INNOVATION AT BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL. I'M HERE TODAY IN SUPPORT OF THIS ORDINANCE AS WE ARE A TRAUMA RESEARCH AND INJURY PREVENTION CENTER DEDICATED TO TRANSFORMING THE LIVES OF THOSE IMPACTED BY TRAUMATIC INJURY.  WE WERE FOUNDED AFTER THE BOSTON MARATHON BOMBINGS AND OUR CENTER HAS WORKED DILIGENTLY OVER THE LAST DECADE TO ADDRESS THE UNDERRECOGNIZED AND UNDERFUNDED FIELD OF TRAUMA THROUGH OUR STEPPING STRONG EMERGENCY RESPONDER PROGRAMS. OUR CENTER WORKS TO PREVENT TRAUMATIC INJURY DEATHS BY TEACHING INDIVIDUALS HOW TO EFFECTIVELY RESPOND TO TRAUMATIC BLOOD LOSS AND OPIOID OVERDOSE TWO OF THE MOST COMMON CAUSES OF PREVENTABLE INJURY RELATED DEATH SURVIVAL FOLLOWING TRAUMATIC INJURY AND OPIOID OVERDOSE REQUIRE RAPID INTERVENTION OFTEN FASTER THAN THE TIME IT TAKES FOR FIRST RESPONDERS TO ARRIVE, EMPHASIZING THE NEED FOR BYSTANDER INTERVENTION SINCE 2017 WE HAVE TRAINED OVER 4000 PEOPLE AND THESE LIFESAVING TECHNIQUES AND INCREASED ACCESS TO SUPPLIES SUCH AS TURN TICKETS AND NALOXONE. WE RECENTLY LAUNCHED AN INITIATIVE SUPPORTED BY THE QUINN IMPACT FUND TO TRAIN STAFF FROM AT LEAST 25 HOSPITALITY VENUES ACROSS BOSTON AND EQUIP EACH LOCATION WITH BLEEDING CONTROL AND NALOXONE KITS. OUR FOCUS ON HOSPITALITY WORKERS COMES FROM THE SAME NEEDS IDENTIFIED IN THIS ORDINANCE AS THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY IS ONE OF THE LARGEST PRIVATE SECTOR EMPLOYERS IN THE US AND VENUES SUCH AS HOTELS, BARS AND RESTAURANTS ARE COMMON GROUND WHERE PEOPLE FROM ALL DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS INTERACT EMPLOYEES IN THIS INDUSTRY ARE NOT ONLY AT HIGHER RISK FOR INJURY THEMSELVES BUT ARE ALSO MORE LIKELY TO WITNESS AN INJURY ESPECIALLY AS MASS CASUALTY EVENTS HAVE BECOME INCREASINGLY COMMON AND THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC CONTINUES TO TAKE MORE LIVES, THE STEPPING STRONG CENTER REMAINS COMMITTED TO EMPOWERING THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY WITH THE NECESSARY SKILLS TO INTERVENE IN A BLEEDING OR OVERDOSE EMERGENCY AND ULTIMATELY IMPROVE THE SAFETY FOR ALL PATRONS AND STAFF ACROSS BOSTON. WE APPRECIATE THE CITY COUNCIL'S COMMITMENT TO THIS ISSUE. THANK YOU FOR THE TIME. THANK YOU SO MUCH.  WE DO STILL HAVE ANESTHESIA ON AND SHE DID SPEAK FOR SOMEBODY ELSE SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I PROVIDE HER THE OPPORTUNITY IN THE EVENT THAT SHE WANTED TO PROVIDE HER OWN TESTIMONY.  HOW ARE YOU THEN? MY NAME IS ANASTASIA LYNCH. I'M A SURVIVOR OF CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING AND COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION MATERIAL. I AM ALSO AN ANTI TRAFFICKING AND LABOR RIGHTS ADVOCATE. I AM A RETIRED FULL SERVICE SEX WORKER WHO PREVIOUSLY RELIED ON HOTELS FOR BOTH MEETING CLIENTS AND AS A SAFER FORM OF HOUSING. WHEN I WAS LEAVING MY TRAFFICKING SITUATION, THIS ORDINANCE CONFLATES COMMERCIAL SEX WORK WITH SEX TRAFFICKING IN A WAY THAT CAN BE DANGEROUS FOR BOTH WORKERS AND FOR VICTIM SURVIVORS. THE IDEA THAT PEOPLE CAN BE TRAINED TO IDENTIFY SURVIVORS SETS UP A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT FOR PROFILING WHICH COULD AND WILL LEAD TO THE WRONGFUL ARRESTS OF CONSENTING SEX WORKERS HARM DUE TO RESCUE AND SAVE YOUR RUSTIC DYNAMICS BY BYSTANDERS WANTING TO DO GOOD OR IN THE WORST CASE MISALIGNED INTERVENTION OF PEOPLE WHO ARE NEITHER INVOLVED IN SEX WORK OR EXPERIENCING HUMAN TRAFFICKING . THIS IS NOT TAKEN OR SOUND OF FREEDOM SEX TRAFFICKING SURVIVORS AND THESE TRAFFICKING SURVIVORS ARE RARELY EVER RESCUED.  WE LEAVE THE SITUATION ON OUR OWN AFTER YEARS OF FIGURING OUT HOW TO GET OUT OF IT. PREVENTION OF EXPLOITATION IN ALL FORMS MUST COME FROM A COMPREHENSIVE PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH NOT A ONE TIME TRAINING PROVISION OF SERVICES FOR THOSE EXPERIENCING TRAFFICKING IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS OUTSIDE OF A HOTEL.  I'M ALSO A LABOR RIGHTS ADVOCATE AND I WORK IN THAT SECTOR PROFESSIONALLY NOW I STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH HOTEL WORKERS WHO ARE FIGHTING FOR DECENT WORKING CONDITIONS INCLUDING A LIVABLE WAGE.  IT CONCERNS ME THAT THERE WAS NOT A MENTION OF LABOR TRAFFICKING AND THE RISKS THAT HOTEL WORKERS FACE WITHIN EXPLOITATION GIVEN THAT THIS IS NOW A NATIONAL ISSUE, I AM AGAINST PUTTING HOTEL WORKERS AT RISK OF LEGAL LIABILITY AND OR IN THE LINE OF DANGER WHEN IT COMES TO CONFRONTING HUMAN TRAFFICKERS DIRECTLY WORKERS OF ANY KIND SHOULD NOT BEAR THE BRUNT OF ANTI-TRAFFICKING RESPONSE AND WORKERS ARE NOT COLLATERAL DAMAGE. IT'S UP TO OUR CITY TO ENSURE DECENT AND FAIR WORKING CONDITIONS FOR EVERYONE INCLUDING THE PREVENTION OF BOTH LABOR AND SEX TRAFFICKING WITHIN HOTELS. WE CAN PREVENT THESE HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS WITHOUT SCAPEGOATING SEX WORKERS,  WITHOUT CONFLATING WORKERS WITH VICTIMS AND WITHOUT INCREASING SURVEILLANCE OF SEX WORKERS OR WORKERS OF ANY TYPE WITHIN HOTEL SETTINGS. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU SO MUCH ANASTASIA. I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE OUR LETTER OR PHONE ON THE ZUNE. I WILL BE READING FOR BOTH OF THEM. OH THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME KNOW. OKAY YOU HAVE 2 MINUTES FOR VIOLET THE AND TWO FOR FINE.  PLEASE GO AHEAD.  SORRY . I WILL BE READING FOR BOTH VIOLETTA AND FOR FINE.  GREAT. THE éLECTEURS STATEMENT READS THAT MY NAME IS VIOLETA. I HAVE BEEN A SEX WORKER FOR SIX YEARS. I CAME TO THIS COUNTRY AS A CLIMATE REFUGEE AND HURRICANE DEVASTATED MY ISLAND. I HAD NO COLLEGE EDUCATION, NO CONNECTIONS AND ONLY $500 TO MY NAME.  I BEGAN SEX WORK TO BE ABLE TO EARN A LIVABLE WAGE WHILE ALSO HAVING EXTRA TIME AND SPACE TO PROCESS THE TRAUMA OF BEING DISPLACED FROM MY HOME BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF ELECTRICITY FOOD SHORTAGES SUDDENLY LEAVING BEHIND MY FRIENDS, MY FAMILY AND MY COMMUNITY ALL WHILE THE DEATH TOLL AND SUICIDE RATES SKYROCKETED. SEX WORK ALLOWED ME TO GIVE MYSELF THAT MUCH NEEDED SPACE TO GRIEVE, REFLECT AND PROCESS WILL NOT BEING CONSUMED BY A LOW WAGE AND EXPLOITATIVE JOB THAT WOULD EAT AWAY AT MY TIME WHILE FURTHER COLLAPSING MY MENTAL HEALTH. I HAVE NEVER BEEN TRAFFICKED AND THIS IS THE ONLY WORK WHERE I FEEL LIKE I HAVE A COMPLETE OWNERSHIP AND CONTROL OVER MY LABOR AND EARNINGS. IN FACT I FELT MORE EXPLOITED WHEN WORKING FOR $14 AN HOUR AT A BAKERY WHERE THEY WOULD CONSTANTLY OVERLOAD US CARROT DANGLE OUR BENEFITS AND NICKEL AND DIME US FOR A NIGHT ANY EXTRA HOUR WE SPENT WORKING IN ORDER TO FINISH THEIR INCREASING WORKLOAD DEMANDS. MY LINE OF WORK HAS ALLOWED ME THE FREEDOM TO DEVELOP MYSELF AND HEAL WHILE ALSO BEING ABLE TO ESCAPE POVERTY AND LABOR EXPLOITATION. WITH THAT SAID, I HAVE WORKED OUT OF HOTELS MANY TIMES AS THERE ARE SAFE AND PRIVATE SPACES.  THE SAFETY TAX PROVISION OF THIS ORDINANCE WOULD BE A THREAT TO BOTH MY SAFETY AND PRIVACY. I'M ALSO CONCERNED THAT THIS ORDINANCE PRESENTS THE IDEA THAT SEX TRAFFICKING CAN BE ACCURATELY IDENTIFIED WITH A ONE TIME TRAINING. I HAVE LOOKED THROUGH SOME OF THESE TRAININGS FOR HOSPITALITY STAFF LIKE THE 30 MINUTE TRAINING TITLED PREVENTING HUMAN TRAFFICKING RECOGNIZED THE SIGNS CREATED BY PACT. THIS TRAINING BESIDES HAVING UNSUBSTANTIAL ATED AND DEBUNKED CLAIMS MADE NO DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN CONSENSUAL SEX WORK AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING WHEN TEACHING IN-ROOM STAFF HOW TO DETECT COMMERCIAL SEX.  THIS LACK OF DISTINCTION PUTS SEX WORKERS AT RISK OF BEING PERSECUTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT WHICH CAN COST US OUR HOMES, WORK AND LIVELIHOOD. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO NOTE THAT SOMETIMES THESE SIGNS OF TRAFFICKING SUCH AS REQUESTING LITTLE TO NO HOUSEKEEPING, HAVING MINIMAL LUGGAGE WEARING REVEALING CLOTHING, REQUESTING EXTRA TOWELS, HAVING AN EXCESS OF LAUNDRY AND CONDOMS AND THE FREQUENT USE OF THE GUEST PRIVATE SEASIDE CAN SIMPLY BE INNOCENT PRIVATE BEHAVIOR OF SINGLE WOMEN. I URGE FOR MORE NUANCE AND UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE DISTINCTION FOR BOTH TRAFFICKING AND CONSENSUAL SEX WORK AND THAT A LOT OF US ARE JUST SIMPLY TRYING TO DO OUR JOBS AS WELL. I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT I FULLY SUPPORT ANY MEASURES TO INCREASING LABOR PROTECTIONS FOR WORKING CLASS PEOPLE AND I SUPPORT THE HOTEL WORKERS IN THEIR STRIKE FOR DEMANDING BETTER WORKING CONDITIONS, JOB SECURITY AND INCREASED WAGES. IT IS UNABASHEDLY GREEDY THAT THESE COMPANIES UNDER SCHEDULE AND UNDERSTAFFED THEIR HOTEL WORKERS AND ARE STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET WITH THE RISING COST OF LIVING AND INFLATION ALL WHILE ROOM PRICES KEEP GOING UP. THANK YOU. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF YOU WANT TO OH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR STATEMENT.  I HAVE ONE MORE TO READ. PLEASE GO AHEAD FOR FUN.  YEP. I'M A CONSENTING ADULT SEX WORKER IN MY THIRTIES WHO HAS NEVER BEEN TRAFFICKED BY ANY INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP. I WOULD LIKE THE SAFETY CHECKS PROVISION OUT OF THIS ORDINANCE. I DO SEX WORK VOLUNTARILY TO SUPPLEMENT ANOTHER JOB SO THAT I CAN AFFORD BOSTON'S HIGH HOUSING COSTS. MEETING CLIENTS IN HOTELS IS IN FACT MUCH SAFER TO ME THAN MEETING THEM IN CARS OR OUTDOORS.  I STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH HOTEL WORKERS FIGHTING FOR THEIR OWN HEALTH PROTECTIONS AND I DON'T BELIEVE THEY ARE INTERESTED IN ANYTHING THAT WOULD INVADE THE PRIVACY OF CONSENTING ADULTS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. I DEPEND ON DISCRETION IN ORDER TO INVITE AVOID VIOLENCE IN MY WORK AND ADD ANY ADDED AND ANY ADDED SURVEILLANCE BY HOTEL STAFF MANAGEMENT OR POLICE SUCH AS THE PROPOSED SAFETY CHECKS WOULD ACTUALLY INFRINGE UPON THIS AND PUT ME AND MY CLIENTS AT RISK. ALL HOTEL GUESTS SHOULD HAVE A REASONABLE EXPECTATION OF PRIVACY IN OUR ROOMS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.  NEXT UP WE HAVE DR. ABIGAIL JUDGE VIRTUALLY FROM BOSTON HERE HUMAN EXPLOITATION AND TRAFFICKING.  I DON'T THINK DR. JUDGE IS WITH US. IF SHE COMES BACK ON WE'LL GET BACK TO HER. BUT FOR NOW WE'LL MOVE TO OUR THIRD AND FINAL TESTIMONY. IF CHRIS PAPPAS AND SARA BRACCO WANT TO COME DOWN TO THE FLOOR AND WHILE THEY'RE MAKING THEIR WAY DOWN, I WILL JUST INTRODUCE THEM EITHER TITLES IN THEIR ASSOCIATION.  SO CHRIS PAPPAS IS THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE MASSACHUSETTS LODGING ASSOCIATION AND SARA BRACCO IS THE VICE PRESIDENT AND POLICY COUNCIL OF STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS FROM THE AMERICAN HOTEL AND LODGING ASSOCIATION.  I APOLOGIZE. I SEE SOMEBODY ELSE WHO'S SOMEONE OTHER THAN CHRIS. SO IF YOU WANT TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND YOUR TITLES I'M CHRIS. OH, HI. I'M SORRY . I APOLOGIZE. I JUST HAD TO TAKE OFF. I SAID I ASSUMED APOLOGIES.  OKAY. IF YOU HAVE ANY OPENING COMMENTS OR REMARKS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO GO FORWARD AT YOUR DISCRETION. WONDERFUL. THANK YOU.  I'LL START SO MADAM CHAIR AND COUNSELORS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME THIS AFTERNOON. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.  I AM CHRIS PAPPAS, THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE MASSACHUSETTS LODGING ASSOCIATION.  FOR 120 YEARS THE MLA HAS SERVED AS A UNITED VOICE FOR PROTECTING ADVANCING AND ADVOCATING FOR OUR MEMBERS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES.  THE MLA TAKES THE ISSUES RAISED IN THE SAFE AND HEALTHY HOTELS ORDINANCE VERY SERIOUSLY PREVENTING HUMAN AND DRUG TRAFFICKING AS WELL AS PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF SOME OF THE HARDEST WORKERS IN OUR INDUSTRY ARE MATTERS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE TO US.  OUR ORGANIZATION WANTS TO HELP THE CITY FIND SOLUTIONS TO THESE ISSUES. HOWEVER, THE ORDINANCE MAY HAVE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.  ONE OF THE FOREMOST BEING HARM TO THE CITY'S ECONOMY THROUGH THE INCREASE OF FINANCIAL BURDENS ON THE HOTEL INDUSTRY.  TOURISM IS ONE OF THE LARGEST INDUSTRIES IN THE COMMONWEALTH AND A MAJOR ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTOR TO THE CITY OF BOSTON.  THE HOTEL INDUSTRY CONTRIBUTES $1.8 BILLION IN TAX REVENUE TO THE CITY.  WHILE INITIALLY THAT NUMBER MIGHT SOUND VERY IMPRESSIVE,  IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE LODGING INDUSTRY IS STILL RECOVERING FROM THE SIGNIFICANT LOSSES CAUSED BY THE PANDEMIC. COMPARED TO 2019 LEVELS, BOSTON HOTELS ARE DOWN SIX POINTS IN OCCUPANCY. WHEN YOU FACTOR IN INFLATION.  REVENUE PER AVAILABLE ROOM IS -11.5% COMPARED TO 2019. SINCE 2019 12 NEW HOTELS HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE CITY WITH A TOTAL OF 3977 ROOMS WHICH IS A 17.1% INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF ROOMS THAT NEED TO BE FILLED EVERY SINGLE NIGHT.  OPERATING COSTS FOR HOTELS HAVE SKYROCKETED AND MOST HOTELS ARE STILL BELOW 2019 OPERATING MARGINS ON AVERAGE ABOUT 6%. THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT POINT BECAUSE HOTELS HAVE CONTINUED TO PAY PROPERTY TAXES, INSURANCE SALARIES AND BENEFITS AT LEVELS AT OR HIGHER THAN PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS EVEN THOUGH THEIR OPERATING MODELS ARE PRODUCING LESS INCOME THAN BEFORE. FURTHER RESTRAINTS AND CHALLENGES TO THE LODGING INDUSTRY WILL NOT ONLY SEVERELY AFFECT THE HOTELS IN BOSTON'S ECONOMY BUT IT WILL ALSO IMPACT THE LIVELIHOOD OF WORKERS THEMSELVES. THE LODGING INDUSTRY PROVIDES MEANINGFUL CAREER DRIVEN JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR MANY OF OUR CITIZENS.  IN FACT, MANY FIRST GENERATION AMERICANS AND THEIR FAMILIES HAVE FOUND STEADY, WELL-PAYING CAREERS THROUGH THIS VITAL INDUSTRY. WE VALUE OUR WORKERS AND WE WANT THEM TO CONTINUE TO THRIVE . AND WHEN OUR WORKERS THRIVE IN OUR INDUSTRY THRIVES.  BOSTON THRIVES. THE SAFETY OF OUR EMPLOYEES IS OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE TO THE LODGING INDUSTRY. WHILE HOTEL WORKERS ARE OFTEN THE FIRST TO ENCOUNTER UNSAFE BEHAVIOR AS DESCRIBED IN THIS ORDINANCE AND AS WE'VE HEARD TODAY, IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THEIR HOTEL STAFF THEY'RE NOT LAW ENFORCEMENT. THEY'RE NOT SOCIAL WORKERS. THEY'RE NOT FIRST RESPONDERS. THEY'RE NOT MEDICAL WORKERS. WHEN PLACED IN A HAZARDOUS SITUATION. STAFF IS TRAINED TO REMAIN CALM AND FOLLOW ESTABLISHED PROCEDURES OF NOTIFYING THE CHAIN OF COMMAND SO THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT OR APPROPRIATE PERSONNEL CAN PROPERLY HANDLE THE THREAT OR DANGEROUS SITUATION.  HOTELS CURRENTLY REQUIRE MANDATORY TRAINING OF STAFF ON A VARIETY OF ISSUES INCLUDING HUMAN TRAFFICKING AWARENESS, ACTIVE SHOOTER TRAINING TIPS, TRAINING DE-ESCALATION TECHNIQUES AS WELL AS MANY OTHERS TO HELP ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THEIR EMPLOYEES AND THEIR GUESTS.  THEY OFFER PANIC BUTTONS TO THE EMPLOYEES THE HOTELS REGULARLY CONDUCT EMERGENCY DRILLS TO CHECK THE BUILDING'S SECURITY UTILIZING KEY CONTROLS AND SAFETY CHECKS. OUR HOTEL OUR HOTELS ARE FOUNDERS AND LEADERS IN THE INTERNATIONAL LODGING SAFETY AND SECURITY ASSOCIATION THAT YOU HEARD REFERENCED EARLIER. HEADQUARTERED HERE IN BOSTON, THE HOTELS AND SAFETY PROFESSIONALS WORK HARD HAND-IN-GLOVE WITH THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS THE STATE POLICE HOMELAND SECURITY AND OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WHEN NECESSARY TO COMMUNICATE AND KEEP NOT ONLY OUR HOTELS, EMPLOYEES AND GUESTS SAFE BUT KEEP OUR COMMUNITIES SAFE AS WELL. CLEANLINESS IS ALSO OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE TO OUR INDUSTRY. EMPLOYEES ARE REGULARLY TRAINED IN THE USE OF CLEANING PRODUCTS AND THE CONTAINERS OF INFECTIOUS AGENTS AND BLOODBORNE PATHOGENS THAT COULD POSSIBLY SPREAD AND CONTAMINATE EMPLOYEES OR GUESTS. AND WHILE WELL-INTENDED, THE POSSIBILITY OF A SQUARE FOOTAGE CLEANING REQUIREMENT COMPLETE CREATES UNNEEDED FINANCIAL HARDSHIPS AND BARRIERS ON WORKERS SEEKING TO EARN MORE. THIS IS NOT ONLY DAMAGING TO EMPLOYEES AND THEIR WELL-BEING BUT WILL ALSO RESULT IN INCREASED OPERATING COSTS FOR THE INDUSTRY. THE THE PROPOSED HOTEL ADVISORY PANEL HAS ONE GLARING OMISSION FROM ITS ROSTER OF EXPERTS THE HOTEL INDUSTRY ITSELF. WE BELIEVE THAT IT IS UNFAIR AND NON-INCLUSIVE TO HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT INVOLVED IN THE DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS OF HOTELS DICTATE POLICIES AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE COUNCIL TO RECTIFY THIS OMISSION.  THE HOTEL INDUSTRY IS IN THE BUSINESS OF TAKING CARE OF PEOPLE THAT'S WHAT THEY DO EVERY SINGLE DAY. OUR GUESTS, OUR EMPLOYEES AND OUR COMMUNITY. WHEN ONE HOTEL OPERATOR FOUND OUT AN EMPLOYEE WAS WHO AS A SERVER WAS APPLYING FOR A MORTGAGE AND IT WAS DURING THE DOWN SEASON AND SHE MIGHT NOT HAVE ENOUGH HOURS TO QUALIFY THEY MADE SURE SHE HAD ENOUGH HOURS TO GET HER MORTGAGE. ANOTHER HOTEL OPERATOR BECAME AWARE OF AN EMPLOYEE WHO WAS IN AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP BUT SHE COULDN'T AFFORD TO GET OUT OF IT. THEY PUT HER UP IN THE HOTEL FOR THREE MONTHS AT NO CHARGE SO SHE COULD GET BACK ON HER FEET OUT OF A BAD SITUATION AND BACK TO HER TO A BETTER LIFE.  POST-PANDEMIC THE HOTELS REALIZED THAT GUESTS WEREN'T CARRYING CASH SO SOME HOTELS IMPLEMENTED ELECTRONIC TIPPING SO THAT THEY COULD ENSURE THAT THEIR EMPLOYEES RECEIVED THEIR WELL-EARNED TIPS. WE SUPPORT OUR EMPLOYEES AND WE SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITIES. ON AVERAGE, EACH BOSTON HOTEL CONTRIBUTES TO OVER $50,000 A YEAR IN CASH IN-KIND DONATIONS TO THEIR COMMUNITIES AND OVER 600 VOLUNTEER HOURS. THAT'S ABOUT FOUR AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS CASH AND IN-KIND GIVEN TO THE COMMUNITIES IN DONATIONS AND ALMOST 55000 HOURS OF VOLUNTEER TIMES.  BENEFICIARIES OF THIS GENEROUS GIFT OF THEIR GENEROSITY INCLUDE ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS SAINT FRANCIS HOUSE, ROSIE'S PLACE COMMUNITY SERVICE, MARY AND BRETT FOOD PANTRY SAINT JAMES PROOF SHATTERPROOF AND SO MANY MORE ORGANIZATIONS. THE LODGING INDUSTRY IS UNDOUBTEDLY ONE OF THE GREATEST ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL PILLARS OF THE CITY OF BOSTON AND WHILE WELL-INTENTIONED, THE SAFE AND HEALTHY HOTEL ORDINANCE AS CURRENTLY WRITTEN COULD HAVE A DETRIMENTAL IMPACT ON THE INDUSTRY AND ITS EMPLOYEES. I'D LIKE TO EMPHASIZE AGAIN THAT THE MASSACHUSETTS LODGING ASSOCIATION TAKES THE ISSUES RAISED IN THIS ORDINANCE VERY SERIOUSLY AND WE WANT TO WORK WITH THE CITY COUNCIL TO HELP FIND SOLUTIONS TO THESE ISSUES. I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT LOCAL BOSTON HOTELS ARE NOT HERE TO SPEAK TODAY. TO BE CLEAR, THE MASSACHUSETTS LODGING ASSOCIATION IS HERE ON THEIR BEHALF TO ADVOCATE FOR THEIR INTERESTS AND FOR THE SAFETY OF THEIR EMPLOYEES. CBA NEGOTIATED LINES ARE ONGOING AND THEREFORE IT WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE FOR INDIVIDUAL HOTELS TO BE AT THIS PUBLIC HEARING. HOWEVER, THEY'VE SHOWN GREAT INTEREST IN THIS ISSUE AND HOPE TO ATTEND FUTURE HEARINGS TO DISCUSS IN DETAIL THE GOOD WORK THAT THEY DO TO KEEP OUR EMPLOYEES GUESTS IN COMMUNITY SAFE. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU SO MUCH, SARA. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MY NAME IS SARA BRACCO HERE ON BEHALF OF THE AMERICAN HOTEL AND LODGING ASSOCIATION. WE ARE THE NATIONAL TRADE ASSOCIATION REPRESENTING ALL SEGMENTS OF THE LODGING LODGING INDUSTRY INCLUDING BRANDS, HOTEL OWNERS, MANAGEMENT COMPANIES AND THE MANY SUPPORTING BUSINESSES AND INDUSTRIES THAT SUPPORT OUR INDUSTRY. WE ALSO WANT TO THANK COUNCILMAN SANTANA WHO HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY OPEN TO MEETING WITH US AND HIS COMMITMENT TO MAKING THIS A COLLABORATIVE PROCESS.  THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND WE INTEND TO TAKE YOU UP ON THAT ON THAT OFFER.  YOU KNOW, BOSTON IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT HOTEL MARKETS IN THE COUNTRY AND NOT JUST BECAUSE IT IS A BEAUTIFUL CITY BUT IT'S WIDELY SEEN SPECIFICALLY IN THE BUSINESS AND TRAVEL SIDE OF THE OF THE HOTEL INDUSTRY IS ONE OF THE SAFEST, CLEANEST AND MOST ACCESSIBLE MARKETS THAT YOU CAN COME TO. WE TAKE THAT RESPONSIBILITY INCREDIBLY SERIOUSLY. IT'S A REPUTATION THAT WE WANT TO PROTECT AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING OUR PART TO NOT ONLY BE PART OF THE PROCESS IF THERE ARE CHALLENGES BUT ALSO PART OF THE SOLUTION TO ADDRESS ANY OF THOSE ISSUES THAT MIGHT MIGHT ARISE FROM THAT. WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SHARING THAT THE WORK IS ALREADY ENDED, THAT THE WORK THAT THE INDUSTRY IS ALREADY DOING SPECIFICALLY IN HUMAN TRAFFICKING. I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN A MAJOR TOPIC OF THIS CONVERSATION AND IT IT HAS BECOME ONE OF JULIE'S TOP PRIORITIES.  IN 2019 WE LAUNCHED THE NO ROOM FOR TRAFFICKING INITIATIVE THAT HAS TWO GOALS ONE IS TO EMPOWER AND EDUCATE SO THAT PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF THAT THIS CRIME IS HAPPENING AND THAT PEOPLE KNOW OBVIOUSLY THAT THEY NEED TO BE CONCERNED AND THINKING ABOUT THIS.  BUT ALSO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY SINGLE HOTEL WORKER IN THE UNITED IS TRAINED ON THE SCIENCE OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND HAS GIVEN THE TOOLS FOR HOW THEY SHOULD RESPOND IN IN THE INCIDENTS THAT THEY SEE SOMETHING THAT THEY THINK IS CONCERNING. OUR TRAINING WHICH WE HAVE DEVELOPED IN CONCERT WITH SOME OF THE TOP HUMAN TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COUNTRY IS FOCUSED VERY MUCH ON AWARENESS AND THEN MAKING SURE THAT THE EMPLOYEES KNOW WHAT THEY NEED TO DO SO THAT THEY ARE NOT PUTTING THEMSELVES OR OTHERS IN DANGER.  AS YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE PERPETRATING THESE CRIMES ARE DANGEROUS PEOPLE OBVIOUSLY AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT NO EMPLOYEE IS FEELING OR FORCED INTO A SITUATION WHERE THEY MIGHT NEED TO CONFRONT A POTENTIALLY VIOLENT CRIMINAL WHEN THEY DON'T GENUINELY KNOW WHAT TO DO . THAT'S WHY WE'VE ALSO BEEN WORKING WITH MASS LODGING ASSOCIATION AND REPRESENTATIVE WALSH ON STATE LEGISLATION THAT WOULD MANDATE HUMAN TRAFFICKING FOR EVERY SINGLE HOTEL EMPLOYEE IN THE ENTIRE STATE OF THE ENTIRE OF MASSACHUSETTS. AND WE DO HOPE YOU KNOW, MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN HERE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THIS ISSUE AND WE WOULD ASK FOR THEIR SUPPORT ON THAT BILL. IS IT STILL PENDING IN THE STATE HOUSE AND HAVING THIS BEING ADDRESSED ON A STATEWIDE LEVEL IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT NOT JUST IN BOSTON IN 2022 WE ALSO LAUNCH OUR SURVIVORS FUND WHICH PROVIDES GRANTS TO LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT OFFER WRAPAROUND SERVICES TO VICTIMS OF TRAFFICKING.  TODAY IT'S RAISED $3.8 MILLION IN DIRECT CONTRIBUTIONS FROM INDUSTRY AND HAS A 100% MATCH FROM THE HLA FOUNDATION.  AND SO ONCE AGAIN I WANT TO REITERATE OBVIOUSLY OUR WILLINGNESS TO WORK ON THESE ISSUES. WE DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE SPECIFIC MECHANICS OF THE ORDINANCE ITSELF SPECIFICALLY THE PANELISTS AS CHRIS MENTIONED, IT DOESN'T HAVE A HOTEL REPRESENTATIVE BUT WE'RE ALSO CONCERNED WITH THE BROADNESS OF THE PANEL AND ALTHOUGH IT TRIES TO KIND OF PUT PEOPLE IN TERMS OF THEIR EXPERTISE ON ONE PARTICULAR ISSUE, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY LOOKING AT IT AS A HOLISTIC PANEL. THE EXAMPLE I WILL USE IS IT DOES HAVE A REQUIREMENT THAT ONE OF THE PANELISTS HAS TO BE AN EXPERTISE HAVING EXPERTISE IN CHEMICAL TRAINING. ONE HAS TO HAVE AN EXPERTISE IN DISEASES AND ALL THAT THOSE PEOPLE WOULD NOW BE TASKED WITH ALSO REGULATING THINGS ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING WHICH ISN'T NECESSARILY IN THEIR AREAS OF EXPERTISE AND THE REVERSE THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT WHICH OBVIOUSLY HAS AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF EXPERTISE ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING DOESN'T HAVE THAT SAME LEVEL OF EXPERTISE IF ANY ON CHEMICAL AWARENESS TRAINING. AND SO WE HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THAT MECHANISM PARTICULARLY BECAUSE THERE IS IN OR DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE AN APPELLATE STRUCTURE. SO IF THE PANEL WERE TO COME OUT WITH A RULE THAT IMPACTED PARTY HAS CONCERNS ABOUT THERE'S NO WAY FOR THAT IMPACTED PARTY TO APPEAL IT NOR IS THERE A WAY FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO HAVE ANY OVERSIGHT OR THE ADMINISTRATION. AND SO IF THIS PANEL WERE TO DEVELOP A RULE THAT YOUR OWN CITY COUNCIL HAD CONCERNS WITH YOU WOULD BE POWERLESS UNLESS YOU WENT THROUGH ANOTHER ORDINANCE PROCESS TO ADDRESS IT . BUT ON THAT NOTE I ONCE AGAIN I WANT TO REITERATE OUR COMMITMENT TO WORKING WITH THE CITY COUNCIL , PARTICULARLY COUNCILMAN SANTANA ON THESE ISSUES. WE WE STAND KIND OF IN FULL SUPPORT OF THE GOALS OF MAKING BOSTON CONTINUE TO HAVE BOSTON ONE OF THE BEST CITIES FOR PEOPLE TO VISIT. BUT I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.  THANK YOU SO MUCH SARA. I DID APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION WITH THE BOTH OF YOU BEFORE BEFORE THIS HEARING AND SO I APPRECIATE YOUR YOUR PERSPECTIVE HERE AGAIN TODAY. I'LL PASS IT TO THE LEAD SPONSOR FIRST AND THEN GO IN THE ORDER OF ARRIVAL WITH MY COLLEAGUES.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.  AND THANK YOU, CHRIS AND SARA FOR BEING HERE.  I DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME AND I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS SO I WOULD APPRECIATE JUST SOME QUICK REMARKS HERE BUT YOU KNOW,  CHRIS, YOU MENTIONED YOU KNOW, YOU DO SOME DATA ABOUT PRE-PANDEMIC AND 2019 TO THE NUMBERS NOW I WAS GOING TO BE SOME NUMBERS THAT I DUG INTO AND FROM FROM A SOURCE HERE FROM THE PINNACLE ADVISORY GROUP, YOU KNOW THEY PRESENTED THAT REVENUE PER AVAILABLE ROOM LAST YEAR WAS ABOVE 2019 LEVELS OF $292 VERSUS 214 IN 2019 AND IT'S EXPECTED TO GROW TO 242 BY 2025. AND I ALSO YOU KNOW, AVERAGE DAILY ROOM RATE LAST YEAR AGAIN ABOVE 2019 LEVELS AT $291 VERSUS $261 IN 2019 AND IT'S EXPECTED TO GROW TO $310 BY 2025. SO CAN YOU CAN YOU JUST RESPOND TO THAT? ABSOLUTELY. SO THOSE NUMBERS ARE ACCURATE. PINNACLE ADVISORY GROUP COLLECTS THE DATA FROM ALL THE HOTELS IN THE GREATER BOSTON AREA AND PRODUCES THIS REPORT.  THEY DID IT LAST MONTH. THOSE NUMBERS ARE ACCURATE. THERE IS A SLIGHT INCREASE IN THE REVENUE PER AVAILABLE ROOM AND IN OCCUPANCY IN OCCUPANCY IN THE PAST YEAR I'LL DEAL WITH OCCUPANCY FIRST AND OCCUPANCY COMPARED TO 19 IT'S STILL SIX POINTS DOWN IN REVENUE PER AVAILABLE ROOM.  IT IS UP HOWEVER WHEN INDEXED AGAINST INFLATION IT'S DOWN 11.5% AND THAT ACTUALLY CAME FROM PINNACLE ADVISORY.  THAT WAS PART OF THEIR PRESENTATION AS WELL AND YOU KNOW HAPPY TO GET YOU MORE DATA ON THAT. YEAH I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT IF YOU THINK YOU KNOW THAT THINK THAT IT'S NOT IT'S NOT THE WHOLE THING THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE BUT SURE I THINK IT IS A BIG PART OF OF IT RIGHT SO I ALSO WANT TO YOU KNOW WE HEARD FROM WORKERS AND FEEDBACK TO ENSURE THAT WORKERS FEEL SAFE AND SUPPORTED SO SO CAN YOU JUST SPEAK TO IN TERMS OF LIKE ARE ALL HOTELS RIGHT NOW RECEIVING THE TRAININGS THAT THEY WERE SEEKING HERE? AND I MEAN WE HEARD AGAIN FROM PHONE WORKERS THEMSELVES AT THE FRONT LINES OF SOME OF THE THING YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERNS THAT THEY HAVE. AND SO, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE PROVIDING THAT BUT THAT'S NOT BEING RECEIVED BY EVERYONE.  I ALSO WANT TO JUST I KNOW WE'RE SHORT ON TIME HERE.  YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES TO LANGUAGE ACCESS TO THESE TRAININGS AND THEN WE ALSO HEARD FROM HOTEL WORKERS THAT THESE ARE THEY'RE ASSESSABLE VIA YOU KNOW, ON COMPUTERS WHAT ARE WE DOING THERE?  I MEAN, YOU KNOW, TO TO REALLY ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES HERE. I MEAN THERE ARE YOU KNOW, I'M A SPANISH SPEAKING I LEARNED ENGLISH AS SECOND LANGUAGE. I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF SPANISH SPEAKERS HERE. WE HAVE DIFFERENT LANGUAGES I MEAN WHAT ARE WE ACTUALLY DOING SO THAT WAY WE'RE NOT JUST CHECKING A CHECKBOX SAYING THAT WE DELIVERED ON THESE TRAININGS SO I CAN ANSWER THAT SPECIFICALLY FIRST ON THE QUESTION ABOUT TRAININGS THE TRAINING THAT WE OFFER ISN'T AVAILABLE IS AVAILABLE IN 34 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.  OBVIOUSLY THERE'S ALWAYS THE CONVERSATION ABOUT ONLINE VERSUS IN-PERSON.  THE BENEFIT OF ONLINE IS THAT IT MAKES IT MUCH MORE ACCESSIBLE AND EASY FOR PEOPLE TO TO GET ACCESS TO.  IN TERMS OF THE TRAINING THERE NO, NOT EVERY SINGLE HOTEL DOES IT. THAT IS WHY WE ARE ALSO WE ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE STATEWIDE MANDATE TO TO HAVE THAT TRAINING MANY OF THE HOTELS DO IT IS PART OF THE BRAND STANDARDS FOR MANY OF BRANDED HOTELS AND SO THERE IS A LARGE MAJORITY OF HOTELS THAT DO OFFER IT.  BUT HAVING A STATEWIDE STANDARD REALLY MAKES SURE THAT NO ONE SHOULD BE CRACKS AND EVERYBODY IS WORKING ON A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.  I DO HAVE ONE FINAL JUST ONE FINAL QUICK QUESTION.  HOW DO YOU I APPRECIATE THAT. HOW DO YOU ACTUALLY IF YOU HAVE A SYSTEM IN PLACE TO ACTUALLY RECEIVE FEEDBACK FROM OUR WORKERS ON THESE TRAININGS? YEAH, I MEAN THAT'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT IN TERMS OF HOW EVERY HOTEL IMPLEMENTS IT ONCE.  AGAIN, THE NEED IN TERMS OF HAVING KIND OF A SINGLE STANDARD IN TERMS OF FEEDBACK ON THE TRAINING IT IS IT WAS CREATED IN CONCERT WITH SOME OF THE TOP HUMAN TRAFFICKING EXPERTS IN THEIR FIELD AND IT'S CONSTANTLY BEING REEVALUATED. AND SO I DON'T MEAN TO CUT YOU YES.  YES. FROM THE WORKERS ON THIS I WAS ON THE FRONT LINES. DO THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON THE TRAINING THAT THEY'RE RECEIVING ? I'D HAVE TO CHECK BACK IN TERMS OF KIND OF WHAT THE SPECIFIC MECHANISMS FOR BUT I WILL LOOK INTO THAT FOR YOU. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. OF COURSE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.  THANK YOU, COUNSELOR SANTANA.  OKAY, NEXT UP WE HAVE COUNSELOR MURPHY AND THEN COUNSELOR LOUIJEUNE AND COUNSELOR FLYNN. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE IN YOUR TESTIMONY. AND I JUST ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE ONLINE PUBLIC TESTIMONY. I THINK THAT WAS GOOD TO HEAR FROM THE SEX WORKERS AND THEIR CONCERNS WAS THE QUESTIONS I BROUGHT UP ABOUT PRIVACY FOR WHATEVER REASON WHEN I'VE STAYED AT HOTELS I'M USUALLY THE FIRST THING I DO DO IS LIKE DO NOT DISTURB, I'M NOT HOME. I WANT TO SLEEP IN AN HOUR. YEAH. SO THAT WAS GOOD THAT AND ALSO THE SERGEANT DETECTIVE USED THE WORD WE'RE OUT IN THE INFANCY STAGE AND I DO BELIEVE WE'RE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CONVERSATION SO I'M GLAD WE'RE ALL HERE AND THAT OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE HERE AS PANELISTS BUT DO YOU KNOW WHY YOU WOULD NOT BE HAVE A SEAT ON THE ADVISORY BOARD?  HAVE YOU TALKED ABOUT THAT OR IS THIS THE FIRST TIME YOU'RE LIKE ADDRESSING THAT QUESTION? I MEAN WE'VE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS WITH COUNCILMAN SANTANA SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THAT. I THINK THAT'S PART OF KIND OF THE ONGOING CONVERSATION THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING AND IN REFERENCE TO THAT KIND OF THE CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW DO YOU DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN LEGAL SEX OR CONSENSUAL SEX WORK AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING THAT'S WHY WE BELIEVE IT'S BEST FOR THE EMPLOYEES TO BE TRAINED TO RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS AND THEN GO AND REPORT IT TO SOMEONE WHO HAS THE LEVEL OF EXPERTISE TO MAKE THAT DETERMINATION. WE DO NOT EVER WANT A FRONTLINE WORKER HAVING TO BE THE ONE THAT MAKES THE DECISION ON HOW THEY INTERVENE BECAUSE IT COULD BE SOMETHING COMPLETELY INNOCUOUS OR IT COULD BE SOMETHING COMPLETELY EVIL AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING THAT INFORMATION TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE BOTH IN THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THEN PARTICULARLY IT'S IMPORTANT THAT OTHER ORGANIZED ORGANIZATIONS THAT OFFER THOSE WRAPAROUND SERVICES ARE INCLUDED IN THAT PROCESS AS WELL BECAUSE THEY OFFER THAT SUPPORT. IT'S HARD FOR SOMEONE TO JUST IMMEDIATELY GET OUT OF IT. THEY NEED A LOT OF ADDITIONAL EXTRA SUPPORT SO THAT'S PART OF THAT CONVERSATION. BUT OUR PREFERENCE OBVIOUSLY IS THAT THE WORKERS ARE TRAINED TO THE SIGNS AND THEN GO REPORT IT TO SOMEONE WHO CAN MAKE THAT DETERMINATION.  OKAY, THAT'S GOOD AND I'LL DEFINITELY BE ADVOCATING GOING FORWARD TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU DO HAVE A SEAT ON THE BOARD.  THE BOARD IS YOU KNOW, IN THEORY IS SET UP TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATIONS GOING FORWARD IF THIS ORDINANCE PASSES AND HOWEVER THE LANGUAGE CHANGES, WE WANT ALL PEOPLE THAT ARE AFFECTED ON THAT, YOU KNOW, PART OF THAT CONVERSATION SO THAT'S IMPORTANT. BUT OTHER THAN THAT JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING OUR CONVERSATIONS GOING FORWARD. ONE OTHER QUICK THING I THINK I HAVE 30 SECONDS. YOU MENTIONED THE DECREASE IN HOTEL STAYS AND THE OVERALL DECLINE AND OBVIOUSLY THE SAFETY OF WORKERS AND THE SAFETY OF HOTEL AND YOU MENTIONED HOW BOSTON WE'RE ONE OF THE SAFEST WE DON'T WANT TO LOSE THAT REPUTATION OF BEING,  YOU KNOW, THE CLEANEST HOTEL ROOMS, THE SAFEST HOTEL ROOMS. YOU KNOW, THERE IS OBVIOUSLY SPACE FOR IMPROVEMENT HERE BUT MY ASSUMPTION ALWAYS WHEN THESE THINGS HAPPEN IS THE COST IS JUST GOING TO BE CARRIED OVER TO THE YOU KNOW, THE PERSON WHO RENTS THE ROOM AND IS THERE DO YOU HAVE THAT DATA ABOUT WHAT THAT COST WOULD BE THAT YOU THINK AND THEN HOW WOULD THAT WILL JUST BE TURNED ON TO THAT WE CHUMA AND WHAT WILL THAT MEAN ABOUT PEOPLE BEING ABLE TO STAY OR YOU KNOW FAMILIES COMING HERE TO VACATION?  I THINK PART OF THE CHALLENGE IN THIS IS THAT THE PANEL ITSELF IS QUITE BROAD AND SO IT'S HARD TO KIND OF PINPOINT EXACTLY WHAT THE IMMEDIATE COST WOULD BE DUE TO THE BROADNESS OF THE PANEL CONCEPT ITSELF. AND I KNOW IT IT LISTS OUT OF AREA KIND OF THINGS THAT IT SHOULD BE LOOKING AT BUT THEN IT HAS THAT NOT THEY COULD INCLUDE MORE BECAUSE EVEN LIKE THE RANGE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CLEANING CHEMICALS IN MASS SHOOTINGS LIKE RIGHT I MEAN I MEAN ALL IMPORTANT NOT TO DOWNPLAY BUT THIS IS A LOT OF WORK AND THAT'S WHY I'M HAPPY WE'RE REFERRING TO THIS AS THE INFANCY STAGE. BUT YEAH, IT'S HARD TO YEAH AND I THINK THAT'S PART OF IT THAT'S PART OF THE CONVERSATION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS THE RIGHT MECHANISM TO ACHIEVE THOSE GOALS. I MEAN CERTAINLY ON THE TRAINING SIDE OF THINGS THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THE INDUSTRY TAKES VERY SERIOUSLY AND AND STANDARDIZING THAT PARTICULARLY ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING IS IS THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE. THE GOOD NEWS IS A LOT OF THAT WORK HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE NATIONALLY AND IT'S THAT'S WHY WE WE LOOK WHENEVER WE'RE LOOKING AT HUMAN TRAFFICKING TRAINING BILLS AND RIGHT NOW THERE'S 12 OTHER STATES THAT HAVE MANDATORY TRAINING BILLS OR SEVERAL PENDING BILLS IN OTHER STATES. OUR GOAL IS ALWAYS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S A STANDARDIZED AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY YOU ARE DEALING WITH BUSINESSES THAT COULD HAVE HOTELS IN NOT JUST IN ONE CITY, NOT JUST ONE STATE BUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY.  HAVING ONE TRAINING NOT ONLY REDUCES THE COST BUT ALSO MOST IMPORTANTLY MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS GETTING THE SAME ACCESS TO TRAINING AND GETTING THE SAME INFORMATION AND THE MOST UP TO DATE TRAINING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR AND THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE. I WANT TO JUST ELEVATE THE STATEMENT I WAS READING YOU WANT WORKERS TO THRIVE AND I THINK THAT'S WHY THE WORKERS ARE HERE TOO BECAUSE WE WANT WORKERS TO THRIVE AND TO FEEL AND OUR HOTELS THRIVE AND FOR EVERYONE TO BE THRIVING TOGETHER IN ORDER FOR US TO BE ABLE TO HAVE LAW ENFORCEMENT TO REALLY BE TAKING THE LEAD. THEY OFTEN DEPEND ON THE PUBLIC TOO.  IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING. SO EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE THE ONES THAT ARE THE FAMILY JUSTICE UNIT, THE ONES THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, APPREHENDING THOSE INVOLVED IN ILLEGAL PRACTICE, IT IS DEPENDENT ON PEOPLE LIKE OUR HOTEL WORKERS TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY AND THAT'S NOT AND THAT THAT I MEAN AS IT WAS MADE CLEAR FROM PRIOR PANELS IS IT HAPPENING SO WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU IN TERMS OF LIKE WHAT THAT WOULD ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S A REASON WHY WE'RE WHY WE'RE ALL HERE RECOGNIZING AND THERE WAS A PANEL ON LAW ENFORCEMENT RECOGNIZING THAT HOW DO WE FURTHER HELP THEM WITH THEIR WORK?  THIS ORDINANCE HELPS US GET THERE BY MAKING SHOWING THAT THERE'S MORE TRAINING PROVIDED TO OUR WORKERS.  SO I WOULD JUST SAY THAT YOU CAN'T DIVORCE LAW ENFORCEMENT FROM THE PEOPLE WHO LAW ENFORCEMENT DEPEND ON. ABSOLUTELY. AND SO I THINK THAT BRINGS US BACK TO THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A STANDARDIZED TRAINING AND MANDATING THAT TRAINING FOR EVERYBODY THAT'S IN THE HOTEL INDUSTRY. THAT'S THE KEY FIRST STEP. AND UNTIL YOU KIND OF SOLVE THAT PROBLEM OR THAT CHALLENGE, IT'S HARDER TO KIND OF LOOK AT ADDITIONAL ADDITIONAL OPTIONS.  AND I DID WANT TO ADDRESS SOME OF YOUR EARLIER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE HAND SIGNALS BECAUSE I WAS TALKING TO OUR EXPERT ON OUR TEAM ON THAT IT SOMEWHAT OF A CONTROVERSIAL TOPIC IN TERMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING TRAINING.  THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT PROMOTE IT. THE CHALLENGE IT IS IN TERMS OF TRAINING PEOPLE TO RECOGNIZE THAT A STANDARD HAND SIGNAL IN ORDER TO TRAIN PEOPLE TO THE LEVEL WHERE IT ACTUALLY WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT COULD BE COUNTED ON THE TRAFFICKERS WOULD ALSO LEARN THE HAND SIGNALS AND SO THERE IS OBVIOUSLY THE DANGER THAT WHEN A VICTIM GOES USE THAT HAND SIGNAL IT COULD MAKE BOTH THE VICTIM AND THE EMPLOYEE OR WHOMEVER THEY'RE MAKING IT TO IN DANGER. SO I DON'T HAVE THE PERFECT ANSWER FOR IT. I DO KNOW IT'S IT IS ONE OF THE MORE KIND OF IT'S OF THE COMMON QUESTIONS THAT WE'RE GETTING AND I DON'T THINK WE HAVE THE RIGHT ANSWER FOR IT YET. BUT I JUST THAT'S THE FEEDBACK I GOT FROM FROM OUR TEAM.  BUT THAT'S I THINK GOES TO THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING HUMAN TRAFFICKING EXPERTS AS PART OF THIS CONVERSATION BECAUSE IT IS AN INCREDIBLY NUANCED ISSUE. IT'S IT'S NOT JUST SEX TRAFFICKING, LABOR TRAFFICKING AS WELL THEY HAVE THEY CAN HAVE VERY SIMILAR SIGNS.  THEY ALSO HAVE SOME SOMEWHAT KEY DISTINCTIONS AND MAKING SURE THAT KIND OF EVERYBODY HAS THAT SEAT AT THE TABLE TO COME UP WITH A COLLABORATIVE SOLUTION TO IT IS IS KEY BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST IT'S NOT GOING TO BE SOLVED WITH JUST HOTEL WORKERS. IT'S NOT GOING TO BE SOLVED JUST LAW ENFORCEMENT. IT'S NOT JUST GOING TO BE SOLVED BY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. IT'S REALLY SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE DONE IN A COLLABORATIVE ENVIRONMENT WHERE EVERYBODY IS TALKING TO EACH OTHER AND THAT IS SOMETIMES THE HARDEST FIRST STEP FOR US TO TO GET TO JUST BECAUSE WE TEND TO OPERATE A LITTLE BIT IN A SILO.  THANK YOU. I BELIEVE MY TIME IS UP BUT I'LL JUST SAY THAT I HEAR YOU ON YOUR ANSWER AND I AND I AND I LIKE THAT YOU THE OPENNESS TO SORT OF PROBLEM SOLVE HERE BUT I ALSO THINK THAT THAT'S WHY HAVING THIS ADVISORY PANEL IS GOOD BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A CLEAR ANSWER AND IT'S THE ADVISORY PANEL THAT WOULD REALLY WORK ON WHAT WORKS BEST. RIGHT. AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BOTH PROTECTING VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND PROTECTING THE SAFETY AND THE HEALTH OF OUR HOTEL WORKERS. BOTH ARE PARAMOUNT AND I THINK THAT THIS WOULD HELP US GET THERE. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK THE MAKERS AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE SO THAT WE CAN REALLY ADDRESS BOTH OF THOSE ISSUES. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. CASS LOUIJEUNE COUNSELOR FLYNN AND THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU TO THE PANELISTS FOR BEING HERE. I LISTENED CLOSELY TO SUZANNAH FROM THE HILTON LOGAN AIRPORT EARLIER TESTIFYING THE SAFETY OF WORKERS IN A HOTEL IS IT COMMON FOR SOMEONE TO WALK IN OFF THE STREET LATE AT NIGHT THAT'S NOT A GUEST AT 11:00 AND JUST KIND OF WANDER AROUND A HOTEL AND IF THAT'S COMMON, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO PROTECT TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF WORKERS AND IS THERE A DISTINCTION I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT BUT IS THERE A DISTINCTION BETWEEN A UNION HOTEL AND A NONUNION HOTEL AS IT RELATES TO THAT ANSWER? I DON'T BELIEVE SO. IN TERMS OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN IT, IT IS SOMEWHAT DEPENDENT ON THE HOTEL ITSELF AND ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WHENEVER WE'RE HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SECURITY IS THAT EVERY HOTEL IS VERY DIFFERENT AND THE NEEDS OF THE HOTEL AND THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE GUESTS ARE VERY DIFFERENT AND SO IT BECOMES A VERY NUANCED CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW DO YOU BALANCE THE PRIVACY OF YOUR GUESTS THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEM ARE LAW ABIDING AND JUST GOING ABOUT THEIR DAILY BUSINESS WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE TRYING TO USE HOTELS FOR MORE NEFARIOUS PURPOSES? MANY HOTELS HAVE IMPLEMENTED KIND OF THE BEST PRACTICE STANDARD NOW IS TO HAVE KEY ACCESS ELEVATORS. I I KNOW THIS BECAUSE I GET LOCKED OUT OF MY ELEVATOR ALL THE TIME SO BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BECOME VERY MUCH THE KIND OF BEST PRACTICE I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THE VAST MAJORITY OF HOTELS ARE NOW IMPLEMENTING.  IS IT UNIVERSAL? PROBABLY NOT MANY HOTELS IMPLEMENT HAVING SECURITY GUARDS AND DIFFERENT SECURITY SERVICES AVAILABLE AND THEN THEY ALL OFTEN I THINK PROBABLY EVERY SINGLE HOTEL HAS A CAMERA SYSTEM BUT AS A DURING AND SINCE THE PANDEMIC HAVE THERE BEEN HOTEL THAT HAVE CUT SECURITY DEPARTMENTS, CUT RESOURCES, CUT STAFF, CUT TECHNOLOGY AND WHEN THEY CUT DOWN THAT STAFF OR THEY CUT THE TECHNOLOGY YOU'RE PUTTING SAFETY OF THE WORKERS IN JEOPARDY IS THAT IS THAT AN ISSUE? I THINK I DON'T HAVE KIND OF THE ON HAND IN TERMS OF WHO HAS SECURITY AND WHO DOESN'T. I CAN CERTAINLY ASK WE CAN SEE IF WE CAN GET YOU THAT INFORMATION. WHAT WE DO KNOW BEST PRACTICES IS TO HAVE THAT THAT SERVICE MANY HOTELS PARTICULARLY IN THE BRAND LIKE THOSE THAT ARE UNDER THE BRANDED SYSTEM NOW OFFER PANIC BUTTONS TO EMPLOYEES SO THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THAT IF THEY WERE TO SEE SOMETHING OR IF THEY WERE TO FEEL UNSAFE THAT THEY WOULD HAVE A PANIC BUTTON TYPE SOFTWARE. THERE'S THERE ARE A VARIETY OF CREATIVE WAYS AND IT IS A CONSTANTLY EVOLVING SITUATION BUT I CAN CERTAINLY GET YOU MORE INFORMATION IN TERMS OF KIND OF WHAT THE BEST PRACTICES AND CURRENT STANDARDS IN BOSTON ARE. THANK YOU. WHAT IS THE WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES IF A WORKER IF A IF SOMEONE GOING INTO A HOTEL ROOM TO CLEAN THE ROOM IS ASSAULTED BY A HOTEL GUEST AND THERE'S NO PANIC BUTTON THERE IS THAT A CONCERN? HAS IT HAPPENED?  WHAT DO WE DO IN THAT SITUATION? I DON'T HAVE ANY DATA IN TERMS OF WHEN IT HAS HAPPENED. I, I, I MEAN I HOPE IT HASN'T IT'S A HORRIBLE SITUATION. I HOPE NO ONE IS EVER IN THAT SITUATION.  LIKE I SAID, PANIC BUTTONS ARE NOW BECOMING VERY INDUSTRY STANDARD. I THINK ALL OF THE MAJOR BRANDS ARE NOW REQUIRING THEM IN TERMS OF WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IN THAT SITUATION. IT'S HARD TO KIND OF ANSWER A HYPOTHETICAL.  OBVIOUSLY WE WOULD WE WOULD WANT THAT EMPLOYEE TAKING CARE OF AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. I KNOW MANY HOTELS HAVE A STANDARD WHERE AN EMPLOYEE WOULD NOT GO INTO A ROOM WHEN THERE IS A GUEST IN THERE TO PRECISELY AVOID THAT PARTICULAR SITUATION.  AND YOU KNOW, IF THAT'S OR IF IF THE WORKER IS GOING INTO THE HOTEL ROOM TO CLEAN THE ROOM AND THEN SOMEONE WOULD WHAT IF SOMEONE GOES RIGHT IN AFTER THAT AND THE DOOR IS OPEN AND THE PERSON IS GOING IN TO CLEAN THE ROOM WHAT ARE WITH THE A AND THEY COME IN RIGHT AFTER THE PERSON WOULD WHAT IS THE SAFETY FOR THE FOR THE WORKER OF THE HOTEL WE WOULD HOPE IN THAT IN THAT SITUATION THAT THEY WOULD HAVE A PANIC BUTTON SO THAT THEY COULD ALERT SOMEONE FOR THEIR FOR THEIR OWN SAFETY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR FLYNN, COUNCILOR FOR AN ENTERTAINER.  THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. SORRY , CAN I UNDERSTAND WHICH WHO IS FROM WHERE? I'M CHRIS PAPPAS WITH THE MASS LODGING ASSOCIATION AND I'M SARAH WITH HLA. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH.  I GUESS SARAH, IF YOU COULD TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT CHRIS HAD MENTIONED ABOUT A CONCERN THAT BY LIMITING THE AMOUNT OF SQUARE FOOTAGE A HOTEL EMPLOYEE CAN CLEAN ON A GIVEN DAY THEY WILL LOSE OUT OVER TIME IN TIPS ABOUT HOW MUCH OVER TIME ON AVERAGE AS A HOTEL EARN AND ABOUT WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THEIR INCOME COMES FROM THEIR TIPS.  THAT'S SOMETHING I DON'T HAVE THE SPECIFIC DATA FOR MASSACHUSETTS I CAN GET YOU AN APPROXIMATION OF THAT IN TERMS OF SQUARE FOOTAGE REQUIREMENTS WE HAVE STARTED TO SEE THIS BEING EXPERIMENTED WITH PARTICULARLY OUT ON THE WEST COAST.  THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF FEEDBACK I WOULD SAY IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS IS WHEN WE HAVE SEEN KIND OF SQUARE FOOTAGE MANDATES POP UP AND THE FEEDBACK THAT HAS BEEN RECEIVED IS THAT IT CREATES KIND OF A CHALLENGE BECAUSE THERE'S A WIDE VARIANCE IN TERMS OF HOW LONG IT TAKES TO CLEAN A ROOM. OBVIOUSLY THE ACTUAL SIZE OF THE ROOM IT'S GOING TO INCLUDE KIND OF THE STATE OF THE ROOM WHEN IT'S CLEANED IF THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN IF IT'S A FULL CHANGEOVER VERSUS KIND OF A DAY, IS IT POSSIBLE YOU CAN SEND ME THAT IN WRITING? YEAH, OF COURSE THROUGH THE CHAIR PLEASE.  AND SO CAN YOU TELL ME THE INDUSTRY STANDARDS OF THESE TRAINING LIKE THE TRAINING SESSIONS YOU MENTIONED THAT THAT YOU ALREADY RECEIVED THAT EMPLOYEES ALREADY RECEIVED ANTI-HUMAN TRAFFICKING MEASURES . CAN YOU TELL ME THE INDUSTRY STANDARDS FOR THESE TRAINING SESSIONS HOW OFTEN ARE EMPLOYEES TRAINED AND WHO TRAINS THEM AND IF THIS IS ALREADY WORKED AT THE HOTEL EMPLOYEES EMPLOYERS TAKE ON, IS THERE A CONCERN ABOUT INCLUDING THIS IN THE ORDINANCE BESIDES BEING REDUNDANT?  SO INDUSTRY BEST PRACTICE IS TO DO A YEARLY TRAINING.  THAT IS THE STANDARD THAT WE HAVE SEEN IN THE 12 STATES THAT HAVE IMPLEMENTED MANDATORY HUMAN TRAFFICKING TRAINING MOST MOST HOTELS THAT DO THIS TYPE OF TRAINING WILL DO IT WITHIN 60 TO 90 DAYS OF UPON THE EMPLOYEE STARTING THEIR JOB. IT'S MOST LIKELY IT FREQUENTLY HAPPENS PRIOR TO THAT BUT OBVIOUSLY JUST BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT TO DO A LOT TO DO AND SO IT STARTED WITHIN THREE MONTHS AFTER EMPLOYMENT BUT THEN THEN DOES IT GET UPDATED OR IT WOULD BE A YEAR BEST PRACTICE IS IT IS IT BEST PRACTICE PRACTICES TO DO IT ANNUALLY IN TERMS OF THE TRAINING ITSELF IT SPECIFICALLY FOCUSES PRIMARILY ON THE SIGNS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING. I KNOW THAT WAS A QUESTION IN TERMS OF LIKE WHEN YOU'RE WALKING INTO A ROOM OR A FRONT DESK AGENT WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS I KNOW THEY MENTIONED A FEW OF THE THINGS IN TERMS OF RELUCTANCE MAKE EYE CONTACT NOT HAVING CONTROL OVER YOUR OWN THANK YOU DOCUMENT SORRY ABOUT THAT AND HAVE SOMEONE TOUCH HERE ABOUT LANGUAGE COMPETENCY. YEAH WE MENTIONED THAT OUR TRAINING IS OFFERED IN 34 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES. I CAN SEND YOU PROBABLY MORE INFORMATION THAN YOU'VE EVER WANTED ON OUR TRAINING. IT IS WE HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION SO I CAN SET THAT UP. I WANT TO THANK YOU. I GUESS FINAL QUESTION I NOTICE THAT THE ORDINANCE CALLS FOR ADVISORY TO HAVE DEVISED A PLAN TO HAVE REPRESENTATIVE FROM EXPERTISE AND LOCAL HOTEL LABOR RELATIONS. WOULD THIS INDIVIDUAL BE THE HOTEL WORKERS SPECIFICALLY OR DO YOU HAVE ANY INPUT IN TERMS OF WHO WOULD BE ON THIS PANEL IF WE IF WE PASSED THIS ORDINANCE AND THEN ALSO IN TERMS OF BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION, ARE YOU WILLING TO PAY FOR THE TRAINING FROM PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION AS OPPOSED TO FROM THE HOTELS IN TERMS OF THE LABOR EXPERT IT SAYS IN THE ORDINANCE THAT THAT'S CHOSEN BY UNITE HERE SO THE HOTEL INDUSTRY WOULD NOT HAVE ANY SAY IN TERMS OF OF WHO OUT IS IT WHAT THE FOLLOW UP QUESTION WAS DO YOU HAVE ANY INPUT IN TERMS OF WHO SHOULD BE ON THE PANEL? WE CURRENTLY AREN'T INCLUDED IN THAT.  THAT'S A PART OF THE CONVERSATION. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU HAVE SUGGESTIONS WE HAVE THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE SO SURE AS A COUNCILOR I COULD ACTUALLY SUGGEST SOMETHING SO I'M ASKING WE HAVE A CONCERN WITH THE PANEL STRUCTURE ITSELF AND SO I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE ONGOING CONVERSATION WE'D LIKE TO HAVE IN TERMS OF IS THE PANEL STRUCTURE THE RIGHT MECHANISM? WHAT'S THE PROBLEM? THESE GOALS ARE CONCERN WITH THE PANEL STRUCTURE IS THAT IT CREATES SOMEWHAT OF A YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT HAVE EXPERTISE IN ONE AREA BUT THEY ARE NOT NECESSARILY HAVING THAT SAME LEVEL OF EXPERTISE AND THE OTHER AREAS THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED. SO THE EXAMPLE AS DYNAMIC AS YOU LIKE IT TO BE. YES. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. SORRY THE SHORT TIME. THANK YOU COUNSELOR FOR AN INTERESTING MISSION. I GUESS IT WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL FROM THE OUTSET JUST TO ASK I KNOW THAT YOU'RE HERE ON BEHALF OF THE MASS LODGING ASSOCIATION AND THE AMERICAN HOTEL LODGING ASSOCIATION. COULD YOU JUST GIVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF WHO YOU REPRESENT AND WHO WAS AT THE TABLE SEEING THAT THEY'RE NOT HERE TODAY? SURE. ABSOLUTELY.  SO AS I SAID, THE MASSACHUSETTS LODGING ASSOCIATION HAS EXISTED FOR 120 YEARS. WE REPRESENT LODGING THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. THE MAJORITY OF THE HOTELS ALMOST ALL THE HOTELS IN BOSTON ARE MEMBERS OF OURS AS WELL AS THROUGHOUT THE COMMONWEALTH.  WE ALSO HAVE MEMBERS WHO ARE INDUSTRY PARTNERS THOSE BUSINESSES THAT SUPPORT LODGING IN THEIR BUSINESSES THRIVE ON THAT. SO WE PROVIDE NETWORKING,  COMMUNICATION, ADVOCACY AND OTHER SUPPORT TO OUR MEMBERS. WHO ARE YOUR MEMBERS? THE HOTELS, THE HOTELS AND THE INDUSTRY PARTNERS? OH YES. SO WE HAVE I MEAN IT'S IT'S THE MAJORITY OF THEM IT'S IN THE BOSTON AREA. GOSH, I WOULD START IN THE START IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD SEAPORT HOTEL ALOFT ELEMENT THE RENAISSANCE THE I WISH I HAD A LISTING IN FRONT OF ME THE THE BOSTON HARBOR HOTEL THE I'M JUST TRYING HOTEL THE. I'M JUST TRYING TO WORK MY WAY UP THROUGH THE CITY THE MOXY HOTEL, THE OMNI PARKER HOUSE, THE COLONNADE, THE LENOX, THE MARRIOTT, THE WESTIN, THE SHERATON. YOU KNOW THE LIST IS GOES ON. I'M HAPPY TO PROVIDE A FULL LIST OF MEMBERS IF YOU'D LIKE. THAT WOULD BE GREAT. DO YOU HAVE A JUST A NUMBER IF IT'S NOT THE. SO SO WE HAVE 450 MEMBERS ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH. OKAY. BUT I CAN GIVE YOU A NUMBER SPECIFICALLY FOR BOSTON. I JUST I THINK THE LIST WOULD BE FINE.  SO I ASKED A QUESTION BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT SO YOU HAVE THE THE LARGER NAME HOTELS, RIGHT. AND THEN YOU ALSO HAVE SOME OF THE BOUTIQUES. I'M WONDERING ABOUT THOSE BOUTIQUE HOTELS THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF RESOURCES OR CAPACITY TO HOLD THESE TRAININGS OR BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THESE TRAININGS. DO YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT BOUTIQUE HOTELS THEMSELVES LIKE WHAT TRAINING THEY DO GET AND THEN ALSO THE COMPLIANCE FOR THAT? SURE. AND I'M HAPPY TO YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF IT RIGHT HERE AT MY FINGERTIPS. I'M HAPPY TO GO BACK AND GET YOU SOME MORE DETAILED INFORMATION. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY ARE ALL OF THESE HOTELS ALL OF OUR MEMBERS ARE PROVIDING TRAININGS ON A VARIETY OF TOPICS AND ISSUES. AS I MENTIONED BEFORE FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO KEEP THEIR EMPLOYEES SAFE AND FOR THEM TO KEEP THEIR HOTEL GUESTS SAFE. YOU KNOW, THAT'S IT'S IT'S PARAMOUNT TO THEIR SUCCESS OF THEIR BUSINESS.  AND AGAIN, AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW, HELPS KEEP THE COMMUNITY SAFE AS WELL. SO I'M HAPPY TO GET YOU DETAILS ON WHAT THE BOUTIQUES DO VERSUS THE BRANDS. BUT YOU KNOW, THOSE THAT I LISTED AND OTHERS ARE ALL VERY ACTIVE IN MAKING SURE THEIR EMPLOYEES ARE EDUCATED. THANK YOU. AND EARLIER IN ONE OF THE PANELS WE DID HAVE SOMEBODY FROM UNITE HERE JUST TALK ABOUT THE VARIOUS OTHER POINTS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THIS ORDINANCE. THEY TALKED ABOUT RACIAL BIAS TRAINING, LANGUAGE THAT GUARANTEES MANDATORY MANDATORY DEFIBRILLATORS NARCAN BOXES AND THEN EMERGENCY AND ACTIVE SHOOTER TRAINING. COULD YOU JUST TALK ABOUT WHAT EITHER OF YOUR ASSOCIATIONS ARE DOING IN THIS MOMENT IN TIME TO PROVIDE THAT FOR YOUR MEMBERSHIP? AGAIN, A LOT OF THOSE ARE ALREADY BEING OFFERED BY A NUMBER OF THE HOTELS. WHEN I LOOKED I DID A QUICK SURVEY A FEW WEEKS AGO ASKING PEOPLE WHAT THEY WERE PROVIDING AND MANY OF THOSE ARE ON THE LIST.  I WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK TO OUR MEMBERSHIP. WE DIDN'T ASK THAT QUESTION BECAUSE IT WASN'T IN THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE BUT HAPPY TO KIND OF GET SOME INFORMATION ON THAT. I DO KNOW PARTICULARLY ON THE ACTIVE SHOOTING ISSUE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS PEOPLE ARE TAKING MANY PEOPLE ARE OFFERING. BUT I WANT TO GET YOU A MORE SPECIFIC ANSWER TO THAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND IT WAS MENTIONED BY SOMEBODY WHO WAS PROVIDING PUBLIC TESTIMONY THAT THIS ORDINANCE DOESN'T MENTION FORCED LABOR TRAFFICKING AND IT ACTUALLY DOES. SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT FOR THE RECORD BUT THEN ALSO ASK WHAT YOU FOLKS ARE DOING ABOUT THAT THAT'S INCLUDED IN OUR HUMAN TRAFFICKING TRAINING. WE LOOK AT OBVIOUSLY AS I MENTIONED, THEY ARE TWO DISTINCT TYPES OF TRAFFICKING BUT THEY TEND TO FOLLOW VERY SIMILAR TYPES OF AND HAVE SIGNS ALTHOUGH THERE ARE SOME KEY DISTINCTIONS ARE TRAINING THAT WE HAVE DEVELOPED FOCUSES ON BOTH. AND FOCUS IS KIND OF ON BOTH INDIVIDUALLY AND WHAT THEY MIGHT HAVE IN COMMON.  OKAY.  I THINK FOR ME THAT THAT'S IT. WELL, THERE WAS ONE COMMENT THAT WAS MADE EARLIER ABOUT SOMETHING HAVING TO DO WITH THE DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS AND REPRESENTATION OF OF AN INDIVIDUAL WITHIN THE DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS BE ON THE BOARD. AND SO I GUESS JUST DEFINE WHAT YOU MEANT BY THAT. YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I THINK WE FEEL THAT WE SHOULD HAVE HOTEL REPRESENTATION ON THAT BOARD WHO THAT IS, HOW THAT LOOKS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING FURTHER CONVERSATIONS WOULD WORK OUT.  BUT JUST HAVING SOMEBODY WHO UNDERSTANDS, YOU KNOW WHAT HOW THE BUSINESS RUNS. OKAY, SO YOU'RE YOU'RE SAYING THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO HAVE A BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE ON THE PANEL RATHER THAN THE DID OPERATIONS AND OPERATION ROOM OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? RIGHT. YOU KNOW, A HOTEL PERSPECTIVE ON THE PANEL. OKAY. THERE IS UNITE HERE BUT THEY ORDINANCE THEY REPRESENT THE EMPLOYEES. THEY DON'T REPRESENT THE OPERATIONS OF THE YOU KNOW, THE OVERALL OPERATIONS OF THE.  I THINK MY MY POINT WAS THAT THEY ARE ALSO INVOLVED IN THE DAY TO DAY. YES. OKAY. THANK YOU. BUT I THINK THAT THAT'S IT FOR ME AND MY QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS. DOES ANY OF MY OTHER COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY THOUGHTS AT ALL? I DO, COUNCILWOMAN. THANK YOU. I HAVE FIVE MORE QUESTIONS. OKAY.  YOU'RE LIMITED TO ONE OR TWO. I'LL GET COMFORTABLE.  WHO SAID THAT?  SO ARE YOU WILLING TO PAY A STIPEND FOR FOLKS TO BE ON THIS PANEL? MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT MOST OF THE PANELISTS ARE EMPLOYEES AT THE CITY AND I'M NOT ENTIRELY SURE THAT WE WOULD LEGALLY BE ALLOWED TO PROVIDE THEM TRAINING TO DO SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE PAID FOR BY THE CITY. I DON'T I DON'T KNOW THE LEGALITIES OF THAT BUT I HAVE NOT SEEN A SCENARIO WHERE WE WOULD BE ALLOWED TO PAY CITY EMPLOYEES TO DO WORK THAT THEY ARE DOING IN THEIR CAPACITY AS A CITY EMPLOYEE. OH, I'M NOT SURE THAT'S WORKING TO CAPACITY AS A CITY EMPLOYEE. I THINK THAT'S A PANEL SEPARATE TO ADVISE YOU. RIGHT.  BY MY UNDERSTANDING AND I'D BE HAPPY TO LOOK AT IT FURTHER IS THAT THEIR REPRESENTATIVES ACTUALLY. WELL, MAYBE I'LL TAKE A LOOK AT IT BUT I WOULD QUESTION WHETHER OR NOT IT'S PARTICULARLY IT MENTIONS IT HAS TO BE SOMEONE FROM THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT. I DON'T THINK IT WOULD LEGALLY BE APPROPRIATE FOR US TO PAY THEM TO DO THAT AND I THINK THAT WOULD CAUSE THEY WOULD BE UNDER THERE ON A CLOCK. YEAH. SO I WOULD JUST I, I, I WOULD WANT TO LOOK AT THAT BUT I WOULD HAVE SOME QUESTIONS IN TERMS OF I THOUGHT I SAW THAT SEPARATE NOT ON THE CLOCK BUT AS AN ADVISORY PANEL I WOULD SEE THAT SEPARATE BUT I CAN LOOK INTO IT MYSELF. THANK YOU SO MUCH.  BUT YOU'RE SAYING YOU'RE OKAY WITH IT AS LONG AS IT'S LEGAL?  I HAVE I WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT IT. I WOULD HAVE TO QUESTION HOW THAT WOULD WORK IN PRACTICE AS LONG AS IT'S LEGAL. BUT I HAVE TO LOOK AT HOW IT WOULD WORK IN PRACTICE. BUT I GENERALLY A CHECK. NO, I MEAN I JUST GENERALLY DON'T THINK THAT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING MANDATED TO SERVE ON A BOARD MANDATED BY THE CITY THAT SOMEONE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY WOULD DO THAT. THAT'S GENERALLY THE MECHANISM OF WHAT THE CITY DOES. WHAT ABOUT THOSE TRAININGS WITH BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION? THEY CERTIFY BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION CERTIFIES PEOPLE LIKE THIRD PARTY COMPANIES ALL THE TIME. MM HMM. I I GUESS I'M NOT REALLY CLEAR THE QUESTION IF THEY'RE DOING IT AS PART OF THEIR JOB THAT THEY'RE PAID FOR BY THE CITY,  WHY WOULD THEY GET AN ADDITIONAL PAYMENT FROM PRIVATE COMPANIES TO DO THAT? BECAUSE BECAUSE YOU'RE LOOKING FOR SPECIAL CERTIFICATION AND NOT ALWAYS IS IT PAID BY THE CITY YOU WOULD BE CONTRACTING.  I BELIEVE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THIS IF THE CITY IS DOING THAT'S UNDERTAKEN UNDER THEIR AUTHORITY UNDER THE CITY AND WOULD BE PART OF THEIR AUTHORITY TO DO THAT. SO I THINK IT WOULD COME OUT OF WHICHEVER WERE YOU BELIEVE A LOT OF THINGS AND I'M JUST ASKING IF YOU'RE OKAY WITH PAYING FOR IT IF IF IN THE EVENT THAT IT'S LEGAL AND YOU'RE SAYING YOU DON'T KNOW THAT EITHER, I WOULD SAY I WOULD I WOULD ASSUME THE ANSWER WOULD BE OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.  OKAY. JUST CHECKING IN IF WE HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL PUBLIC THIS MORNING ,THAT'S A CHANCE FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY.  I WILL PASS IT TO THE LEAD SPONSOR FOR ANY CLOSING REMARKS IF HE HAD MY NAME AND MY COLLEAGUES BEFORE YOU ADDRESS. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I WANT TO THANK ALL THREE OF OUR PANELISTS FOR JOINING OUR THREE OUR DIFFERENT PANELISTS FOR JOINING US TODAY AND FOR THIS DISCUSSION. I THINK LIKE I SAID AT THE BEGINNING OF MY REMARKS, I THINK FOR ME I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS ,YOU KNOW, THAT PLAYED A BIG PART IN THIS.  MY TOP PRIORITY IS THE SAFETY OF OUR HOTEL WORKERS AND THAT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE MY TOP PRIORITY. SO I HOPE THAT WE CAN ALL WORK TOGETHER TO FIND A YOU KNOW, A COMMON GROUND WHERE WE CAN PRIORITIZE THE SAFETY OF THAT. AND I JUST WANT TO ALSO THANK ALL OF OUR, YOU KNOW, WORKERS HERE WHO CAME OUT STAYED THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE HEARING AND REALLY APPRECIATE YOU ARE APPRECIATE ALL THOSE I DON'T SPEAK ANY OTHER LANGUAGES OR IF NOT I WOULD SAY I APPRECIATE YOU ALL BUT I'M JUST REALLY THINK THANKFUL FOR YOU ALL BEING HERE AND MAKING SURE YOUR VOICES ARE HEARD. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.  THANK YOU, COUNSELOR SANTANA THANK YOU.  WE TYPICALLY DON'T ALLOW FOR APPLAUSE BUT THAT WAS WELL DESERVED. COUNCIL LOUIJEUNE NO, I JUST WANT TO THANK THE MAKERS. I THINK IT'S 525 AND IT'S BEEN A VERY LONG HEARING BUT IT'S ALL FOR THE GREATER GOOD OF MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE PROTECTING OUR HOTEL WORKERS AND NOT PUTTING THEM IN HARM'S WAY AND AT THE SAME TIME MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING THESE VERY, VERY DIFFICULT ISSUES. AND SO I THINK THAT THERE'S DEFINITELY MORE WORK TO DO AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US IN BOSTON TO BE NOVEL AND HOW WE'RE PROTECTING OUR HOTEL WORKERS,  ENSURING THEIR SAFETY AND DEALING WITH THESE VERY, VERY DIFFICULT AND HEAVY ISSUES THAT PEOPLE ARE DEALING WITH EVERY DAY AS HOTEL WORKERS. SO SHOUT OUT TO ALL THE HOTEL WORKERS THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I MEAN THEY GET TO MY COLLEAGUES BECAUSE THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT WORK. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL LOUIJEUNE COUNCILOR FERNANDEZ INNOCENT THANK YOU. I DO AGREE WITH THE PANELISTS THAT THE CONVERSATION IS NUANCED AND THERE'S SO MUCH MORE THAT NEEDS THAT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT AND TACKLE IN TERMS OF PROTECTING OUR HOTEL WORKERS. AND I THINK YOU MISUNDERSTOOD ME IN TERMS OF THE TRADING. I MEAN THAT INSTEAD OF YOU PROVIDING THE TRAINING TO YOUR WORKERS THAT YOU CONTRACT SOMEONE ELSE TO DO IT BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THERE'S SOME SORT OF DISCONNECT AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THE WORKING SESSION TO TO THE MAKERS.  I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD AND OBVIOUSLY TO LOCAL 26 AND EVERYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO TOOK YOUR TIME TO ADVOCATE AND HAVE SO MUCH STRENGTH TO BE HERE AND ADVOCATE FOR YOU. TODAY WAS 3 HOURS I THINK 3 HOURS AND A HALF BUT OUT OF YOUR TIME, OUT OF YOUR WORK, OUT OF YOUR LIFE THAT MEANS SO MUCH MORE TO YOU AND TO HAVE TO BE HERE FOR JUST ONE HEARING TO HAVE TO ADVOCATE FOR SOMETHING THAT IS SO IMPACTFUL AND BIG IN YOUR LIFE AND HAT AND HEAR PANELIST SAY THINGS THAT JUST A SMALL CHANGE COULD MAKE YOU FEEL SAFER, COULD MAKE YOUR WORK ENVIRONMENT BETTER, COULD TREAT YOU WITH INTEGRITY.  I, I APOLOGIZE ON THEIR BEHALF FOR FEELING IF YOU'RE FEELING HURT I KEEP LOOKING AT YOUR FACES AND UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS DEEPLY IMPACTS YOU. WE AS A SOCIETY HAVE TO TREAT OUR WORKERS ESPECIALLY OUR WORKING CLASS AT ITS BEST AND THAT IS HOW WE ARE JUDGED AND WE HOPE THAT TODAY WE PROVED THAT HERE TODAY THAT WE PRIORITIZE YOU. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU SO MUCH COUNSELOR FOR ANY MORE FINANCIAL THANK YOU. THANK YOU I'M JUST REALLY QUICK I'LL I'LL WRAP I GUESS WITH WITH JUST NEXT STEPS AND A BRIEF CLOSING STATEMENT SO THIS WILL PROBABLY GO TO A WORKING SESSION WHERE WE'LL DRILL DOWN INTO THE DETAILS AND JUST REALLY GRATEFUL FOR EVERYONE'S PERSPECTIVE AND THOUGHTS,  COMMENTS, CONCERNS, SUGGESTIONS AND THEN OBVIOUSLY EVERYBODY'S TIME.  I WANT TO LOOK TO LOCAL 26 RIGHT NOW AS A GRANDDAUGHTER OF A HOTEL WORKER SOME OF YOU KNOW KNEW MY GRANDMOTHER AND JUST KNOW THAT THIS IS REALLY PERSONAL FOR ME . SO JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVOCACY AND IT IS IT'S ALREADY BEEN SAID BUT IT IS MY PRIORITY IT IS THE PRIORITY OF THIS COUNCIL TO ENSURE THAT YOU HAVE DIGNITY IN THE WORKPLACE, THAT YOUR SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE AND THEREFORE IT WILL TRANSLATE TO DIGNITY AND SAFETY OF OF OUR VISITORS AND OF THE CITY OF BOSTON. SO JUST REALLY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR ADVOCACY AND THANK YOU EVERYBODY. THIS HEARING IS ADJOURNED