House File 449 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 449 BY A. MEYER A BILL FOR An Act relating to screening children for commercial sexual 1 exploitation in certain circumstances. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 2219YH (1) 91 dg/ko
H.F. 449 Section 1. Section 232.2, Code 2025, is amended by adding 1 the following new subsection: 2 NEW SUBSECTION . 7A. Commercial sexual exploitation means 3 causing a child, by force, fraud, or coercion, to engage in sex 4 or sexually explicit activities for money, goods, services, or 5 the promise of money, goods, or services. 6 Sec. 2. Section 232.28, subsection 2, Code 2025, is amended 7 to read as follows: 8 2. The Upon receiving a complaint under subsection 1, the 9 court or its designee shall refer do all of the following: 10 a. Refer the complaint to an intake officer who shall 11 consult with law enforcement authorities having knowledge of 12 the facts and conduct a preliminary inquiry to determine what 13 action should be taken. 14 b. Order the child subject to the complaint to be screened 15 for commercial sexual exploitation. 16 Sec. 3. Section 232.71B, subsection 1, paragraph a, 17 unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2025, is amended to read as 18 follows: 19 If the department determines a report constitutes a child 20 abuse allegation, the department shall promptly have the child 21 subject to the child abuse allegation screened for commercial 22 sexual exploitation, and shall commence either a child abuse 23 assessment within twenty-four hours of receiving the report or 24 a family assessment within seventy-two hours of receiving the 25 report. 26 EXPLANATION 27 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 28 the explanations substance by the members of the general assembly. 29 This bill relates to screening children for commercial 30 sexual exploitation (exploitation) in certain circumstances. 31 The bill defines commercial sexual exploitation as causing 32 a child, by force, fraud, or coercion, to engage in sex or 33 sexually explicit activities for money, goods, services, or the 34 promise of money, goods, or services. 35 -1- LSB 2219YH (1) 91 dg/ko 1/ 2
H.F. 449 The bill requires the juvenile court or the courts designee 1 to order a child screened for exploitation when the court 2 receives a complaint alleging that the child committed a 3 delinquent act. 4 The bill requires the department of health and human 5 services (HHS) to screen a child for exploitation if 6 HHS determines a report it receives alleging child abuse 7 constitutes a child abuse allegation. 8 -2- LSB 2219YH (1) 91 dg/ko 2/ 2