Opponents of human trafficking are pushing for passage of a Senate measure that would fine "johns" $5,000 and place the money into a special fund for victims of sex assault and domestic violence.

The Pacific Alliance to Stop Slavery, the International Justice Mission and the Polaris Project held a news conference Thursday at the state Capitol to support the passage of several bills, including Senate Bill 2579, the so-called Safe Harbor Bill.

"It’s our hope that the Hawaii Legislature will take a firm stand and pass the pieces of legislation that have been introduced by Rep. Karen Awana and Sen. Suzanne Chun Oakland to really set a strong message to traffickers and johns who exploit men, women and children for labor services and for commercial sex," said James Dold, policy counsel for the Polaris Project.

SB 2579 calls for a special fund to be established for minors who are victims of prostitution. It would also ban prosecution of a person under 18 who is suspected of or charged with prostitution.

It also targets "johns" with an automatic $5,000 fine, which would be funneled to a special fund for domestic violence and sex assault, according to Kathryn Xian, executive director of the Pacific Alliance to Stop Slavery. The Senate Ways and Means Committee is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the bill Tuesday.

Senate Bill 2576, introduced by Chun Oakland (D, Kalihi-Pauoa) and others, allows a person convicted of prostitution-related crimes to file a motion to have their convictions expunged if he or she can show they were a victim of human trafficking at the time. House Bill 2235, introduced by Awana (D, Kalaeloa-Nanakuli) and others, calls for the same thing.

From January 2011 to November, the National Human Trafficking Resource Center received 17,961 calls nationwide — 67 from Hawaii. Most calls came from a community member who observed suspected human trafficking or from a family member of a potential victim, according to a report from the resource center.

Traffickers are drawn to Hawaii because it a major tourist destination and the venue for such large events such as November’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference and the Pro Bowl, said Dold of the Polaris Project, which operates the National Human Trafficking Resource Center.

Last year, lawmakers passed legislation that made Hawaii the 47th state to criminalize human trafficking. States that do not have anti-human trafficking laws are Massachusetts, Wyoming and West Virginia, according to the Pacific Alliance website.

Dold said they returned to Hawaii this year to continue to push for the passage of more bills. He described the Safe Harbor Bill as one of the strongest bills in the nation.

"It will make a tangible impact on the lives of victims," he said.