HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
1777 |
THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2022 |
H.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO THE COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that children in the State are vulnerable to sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation. Foster children and runaways with histories of abuse and neglect are at particularly high risk. LGBTQ+ youth, immigrants, undocumented workers, and young people suffering from mental illnesses and substance abuse issues are also highly vulnerable. Victims are often lured into sex trafficking through emotional manipulation and control, force, fraud, or threats. Sexually exploited children most often do not have the ability or resources to escape their traffickers and start new lives.
The legislature recognizes that, over the past decade, the commercial sexual exploitation of children has garnered greater attention in Hawaii and throughout the United States. Due to reporting requirements under federal and state law, the department of human services has received an increasing number of hotline calls from witnesses or victims of child sex trafficking. However, because child sex trafficking is covert, it is difficult to accurately measure the scope of the problem, and exploited youth may not identify themselves as victims.
The legislature believes that the statewide human trafficking coordinator, a position established within the department of the attorney general in May 2020, plays a vital function in the department's multidisciplinary approach to improving the State's anti-trafficking response.
Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to require the department of the attorney general to provide annual reports to the legislature on available data pertaining to the commercial sexual exploitation of children.
SECTION 2. Chapter 28, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to part I to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
"§28- Commercial
sexual exploitation of children; annual report. (a)
No later than twenty days prior to the convening
of each regular session, the department of the attorney general shall submit a
report to the legislature containing available data from entities that collect and
are willing to provide data pertaining to the commercial sexual exploitation of
children to the department of the attorney general that covers the immediately preceding
fiscal year. If available to the department
of the attorney general, the data in the report shall include the following:
(1) The number of
reports to state and national hotlines alleging the commercial sexual
exploitation of children;
(2) The total
number of suspected victims of commercial sexual exploitation of children,
including:
(A) Demographic
information including gender identity and expression, age, race, sexual orientation,
and ethnicity;
(B) Whether
the child experienced one or more of the following risk factors:
(i) Multiple
instances or extended periods of having been a runaway from a guardian or
caregiver;
(ii) Past
history of sexual abuse; and
(iii) Prior
or current substance abuse;
(C) Whether
the child was or is currently served by the department of human services and the
types of services provided; and
(D) Whether
the child was or is currently a client of the family court;
(3) The total
number of confirmed victims of commercial sexual exploitation of children,
including:
(A) Demographic
information including gender identity and expression, age, race, sexual orientation,
and ethnicity;
(B) Whether
the child had a third-party trafficker who advanced or profited from the
commercial sexual exploitation of children;
(C) Whether
the child experienced one or more of the following risk factors:
(i) Multiple
instances or extended periods of having been a runaway from a guardian or caregiver;
(ii) Past
history of sexual abuse; and
(iii) Prior
or current substance abuse;
(D) Whether
the child was or is currently served by the department of human services and the
types of services provided; and
(E) Whether
the child was or is currently a client of the family court;
(4) Data collected
by state-contracted providers, including:
(A) The
types and aggregate costs of services provided to children who are suspected victims
or confirmed victims of commercial sexual exploitation of children;
(B) Demographic
information including gender, age, race, and ethnicity for children who are
suspected victims or confirmed victims of commercial sexual exploitation of children;
(C) The
number of runaways and revictimizations;
(D) The
number of children currently receiving each type of service; and
(E) The
total number of children newly served by these providers during the fiscal year;
(5) The number of arrests
by law enforcement agencies, open or pending prosecutions, and convictions obtained
in the State, delineated by county, for crimes relating to the commercial
sexual exploitation of children;
(6) The identification
of any gaps in the State's ability to collect relevant data; and
(7) Recommendations
for improving data collection and data sharing among service providers,
non-governmental organizations, and government agencies, including law
enforcement agencies.
(b) Every public official and every state and county
department or agency, as applicable, shall:
(1) Share
information with and provide
all necessary assistance and cooperation to the department of the attorney general
within the jurisdictional authority of the respective official, department, or agency;
and
(2) Assist the
department of the attorney general in carrying out its duties under this section.
(c) Entities are encouraged but not required to collect
specific data for the report pursuant to this section.
(d) As used in this
section:
"Child" means a person
under eighteen years of age.
"Commercial sexual exploitation
of children" means any sexual activity involving a child for the exchange
or promise of anything of value by any person.
"Confirmed victim"
means a child who has been identified by a state-approved validated assessment
tool as a victim of sex trafficking or severe forms of trafficking in persons
as defined in section 350-1.
"Department" means the department
of the attorney general.
"Suspected victim" means a child who is reasonably believed to be a victim of sex trafficking or severe forms of trafficking in persons as defined under section 350-1, but who has not been identified as a confirmed victim."
SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2022-2023 for the department of the attorney general to fulfill the annual reporting requirements of this Act.
The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of the attorney general for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 4. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2022.
Report Title:
Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children; Data; AG; Report; Appropriation
Description:
Requires
the department of the attorney general to provide annual reports to the legislature
on available data pertaining to the commercial sexual exploitation of children.
Appropriates moneys. (HD1)
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.