HCSHBs1706&1539--PROTECTIONOFCHILDRENANDVULNERABLE
PERSONS(Myers)
COMMITTEEOFORIGIN:StandingCommitteeonCrimePreventionand
PublicSafety
Thisbillestablishesthe"CommitteeonSexandHumanTrafficking
Training",whichwillbecomposedofeightmembers,including,
amongothers,arepresentative oftheAttorneyGeneral'sOffice,a
representative oftheDepartmentofPublicSafety,andajuvenile
officer. Thecommitteemustannuallyevaluateandestablish
guidelinesforrequiredsexandhumantraffickingtraining. The
committeewilldissolveonDecember31,2029.
Thebillalsoestablishesthe"StatewideCouncilAgainstAdult
TraffickingandCommercialSexualExploitationofChildren"to
replacethe"StatewideCouncilonSexTraffickingandSexual
ExploitationofChildren",whichexpiredonDecember31,2023.The
newcouncilmustbecreatedwithin30daysofAugust28,2024,is
requiredtomeetatleastquarterly,andiswithintheOfficeof
theAttorneyGeneral. TheAttorneyGeneralorhisorherdesignee
willbethechairofthecouncil. Themembersofthecouncilare
specifiedandincludetwomembersoftheSenateappointedbythe
PresidentProTemratherthanonebeingappointedbytheMinority
FloorLeaderoftheSenate,andthetwomembersoftheHouseof
Representatives appointedbytheSpeakerratherthanonebeing
appointedbytheMinorityFloorLeaderoftheHouseof
Representatives.
Thebillcreatesthe"Anti-TraffickingFund".MoneyintheFund
willbeusedsolelytopayforthepositionoftheexecutive
directorofthestatewidecouncil,educationandawareness
regardinghumantrafficking,andanti-traffickingefforts
throughouttheState.
TheDepartmentofHealthandSeniorServiceswillrequireeachEMT,
includingeachparamedic,toreceivefourhoursofsexandhuman
traffickingtrainingaspartofcontinuingeducationrequirements
forrelicensureeveryfiveyears.Eachregisterednurse,licensed
practicalnurse,advancedpracticeregisterednurse,county
prosecutingattorney,andjuvenileofficermustcompleteonehour
ofsexandhumantraffickingtrainingannually. Socialworkers
willberequiredtocompletetwohoursofsexandhumantrafficking
trainingforlicenserenewal. Lastly,eachpeaceofficerwillbe
requiredtoreceivetwohoursofsexandhumantraffickingtraining
withinthelawenforcementcontinuingeducationone-yearreporting
period. Currently,undercertaincircumstances, astatementmadebyachild
undertheageof14orbyavulnerableperson,orthevisualand
auralrecordingofaverbalornonverbalstatementofsuchchildor
vulnerableperson,isadmissibleintoevidenceincriminal
proceedingsassubstantiveevidencetoprovethetruthofthe
matterasserted. Thisbillincreasestheagetoachildunderthe
ageof18anditamendsthedefinitionof"vulnerableperson"to
includeapersonwhosedevelopmentalleveldoesnotexceedthatof
anordinarychildof17yearsofage.
Currently,aperson21yearsoldoroldercommitstheoffenseof
enticementofachildifheorshesatisfiestheelementsofthe
offenseandthechildisunder15yearsold.Thisbillincreases
theageofthechildtounder17yearsold.
Thebillalsoprovidesthatapersonwhopledguiltytoorwas
foundguiltyofcertainsexualoffenses,specifiedinthebill,
willberequiredtopay$10,000inrestitutionperidentified
victimand$2,500foreachcountyinwhichtheoffenseoroffenses
occurred,payabletotheStatetobedepositedintotheHuman
TraffickingandSexualExploitationFund.Uponreceiptofmoney
fromtheFund,acountymustallocatedisbursementofthefunds
accordingtotherequirementsinthebill.