SCR66

WHEREAS, children throughout the State are vulnerable to sexual exploitation, with foster children, runaways, LGBTQ+ youth, immigrants, undocumented workers, and youth suffering from mental illnesses and substance abuse issues being particularly vulnerable; and

WHEREAS, sexually exploited minors are often coerced into sexual exploitation through emotional manipulation, control, force, fraud, and threats; and

WHEREAS, these minors are often unable to escape sexual exploitation; and

WHEREAS, although the sexual exploitation of minors has garnered greater attention throughout the United States over the past decade, it remains difficult to accurately understand the scope of the problem; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2023, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Department of the Attorney General is requested to convene a sexual exploitation of minors steering committee to identify issues relating to the sexual exploitation of minors in the State; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of the Attorney General is requested to include the following individuals, or their designees, as members of the steering committee:

(1) The Attorney General;

(2) The Superintendent of Education;

(3) The Branch Chief of the Harm Reduction Services Branch of the Department of Health;

(4) The Administrator of the Child Welfare Services Branch of the Social Services Division of the Department of Human Services;

(5) The Prosecuting Attorney for the City and County of Honolulu; and

(6) The Chief of the Honolulu Police Department; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the steering committee is requested to invite the following persons to participate on the steering committee:

(1) One representative of the Community Alliance on Prisons;

(2) One representative of the Hawaii Health and Harm Reduction Center;

(3) One representative of Hawaii Youth Services Network;

(4) One representative of Hoola Na Mamo;

(5) One representative of Kulia Na Mamo;

(6) One representative of Sister 2 Sister Hawaii;

(7) One representative of Youth Outreach Project;

(8) Representatives from the juvenile justice system; and

(9) Others as recommended by the steering committee; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the steering committee is requested to:

(1) Identify and analyze the following:

(A) Factors that contribute to a minor's vulnerability to sexual exploitation;

(B) Experiences of sexually exploited minors; and

(2) Compile and categorize the information gathered pursuant to paragraph (1) by age, gender, degree of agency and autonomy, and background;

(3) Submit a preliminary report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2024; and

(4) Submit a final report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2025; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of the Attorney General is requested to take any actions necessary to authorize the steering committee to discuss specific cases, individuals, and other confidential information to the extent permitted by law and exempt the steering committee from Part I of Chapter 92, Hawaii Revised Statutes; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the steering committee be dissolved on June 30, 2025; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Attorney General; Superintendent of Education; Branch Chief of the Harm Reduction Services Branch of the Department of Health; Administrator of the Child Welfare Services Branch of the Social Services Division of the Department of Human Services; Prosecuting Attorney for the City and County of Honolulu; Chief of the Honolulu Police Department; Coordinator of the Community Alliance on Prisons; Executive Director of the Hawaii Health and Harm Reduction Center; Owner of Sister 2 Sister Hawaii; and Executive Director of the Hawaii Youth Services Network.

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Sexual Exploitation of Minors; Human Trafficking; Steering Committee; Prevention; Reports

THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	66
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2023
STATE OF HAWAII