Introducing SB 5355
Senate committee testimony with Senator Claire Wilson · January 26, 2023
Watch at sourceMission 5355
At seventeen, she wrote Washington SB 5355.
It passed the Senate 48–0 and the House 97–0. What began as prevention education became state law—and a model Ria would adapt across the country.
48–0Washington Senate
97–0Washington House
2Enacted state laws
20+Adaptations · 9+ legislatures
From prevention to law
Washington proved it could pass. The next drafts showed how it could travel.
Ria created, drafted, and negotiated Washington’s trafficking-prevention education measure. She later authored Montana SB 107 and North Dakota HB 1569, co-authored Nevada SB 131, and worked on additional state-specific adaptations.
Early implementation feedback in Washington was encouraging, with initial estimates around 300 adolescents protected from trafficking-related situations by 2024–2025. This remains an early estimate as implementation matures.
Read the official Washington enactment recordSee the work happen
The classroom. The committee. The law.
The story behind the bill
KING 5’s interview with Ria during the Washington legislative session.
Watch at source
Before the bill
Prevention began with education.
A credit-bearing seminar and a competitive $16,000 OSPI grant supported the development of an open curriculum. Ria’s first-person OSPI article traces the education work that preceded the legislation.
Read Ria’s OSPI articleThe state record
A model adapted to each legislature.
Washington · 2023
SB 5355 · Enacted
Created, drafted, and negotiated by Ria Bahadur. Signed by Governor Jay Inslee after unanimous passage.
Enactment recordMontana · 2025
North Dakota · 2025
HB 1569 · Introduced
Authored by Bahadur; her testimony is part of the official legislative record.
Legislative recordNevada · 2025
SB 131 · Not enacted
Co-authored with Rhonda Sciortino and Senator Carrie Buck. Prefiled for the 2025 session; the bill did not pass and is being redrafted for 2027.
Additional states
Twenty-plus adaptations
Drafting, prefiling, stalled and failed pathways, and legislative discussions across Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Massachusetts, and other jurisdictions.
International pathways
The model is no longer only American.
The work has moved into governmental and parliamentary discussions in Brunei, Denmark, and the United Kingdom, alongside additional international adaptation efforts.
Ministry of Education spotlight
Brunei Darussalam’s Ministry of Education publicly featured Ria and her trafficking-prevention work.
Ministry of Education bulletinChildren and Education Committee
The Danish Parliament invited submission of Mission 5355 materials for committee distribution and possible public availability.
Discuss the initiativeParliamentary deliberations
Engagement with Dame Diana Johnson’s office led to referrals to MP Tonia Antoniazzi and UK Feminista for further deliberation.
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