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HB118 • 2026

COUNCIL ON HUMAN AND SEX TRAFFICKING

An Act establishing the Council on Human and Sex Trafficking; and providing for an effective date.

Education
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
REPRESENTATIVES VANCE, Underwood, Costello
Last action
2025-04-02
Official status
(H) FIN
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material did not provide specific information on the actions the council will take to reduce demand for human and sex trafficking services or the effectiveness of its initiatives.

Council on Human and Sex Trafficking

This act establishes the Council on Human and Sex Trafficking within the Department of Public Safety to coordinate efforts against human and sex trafficking.

What This Bill Does

  • Creates the Council on Human and Sex Trafficking within the Department of Public Safety.
  • Defines the duties of the council, including developing a standardized data collection system, awarding grants for intervention programs, and coordinating with other state agencies.
  • Establishes membership requirements for the council, which includes representatives from various organizations and government departments.
  • Requires the council to hold meetings at least quarterly and allows them to convene public meetings as needed.
  • Specifies that members of the council receive no salary but are entitled to transportation expenses and per diem.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Department of Public Safety, which will house the Council on Human and Sex Trafficking.
  • Victim advocacy organizations, Alaska Native organizations, local law enforcement agencies, faith-based communities, labor or trade organizations, and other relevant groups that provide direct services to victims.
  • State government departments such as Health, Corrections, Labor and Workforce Development, Education and Early Development, Family and Community Services.

Terms To Know

Council on Human and Sex Trafficking
A new council created by the act to coordinate efforts against human and sex trafficking in Alaska.
Data collection system
A standardized method for gathering information about human and sex trafficking cases, including definitions and methods of dissemination.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify the exact details of how funds will be allocated or managed by the council.
  • It is unclear what specific actions the council will take to reduce demand for human and sex trafficking services.
  • The effectiveness of the council's initiatives in combating human and sex trafficking remains uncertain.

Bill History

  1. 2025-04-02 592

    (H) REFERRED TO FINANCE

  2. 2025-04-02 592

    (H) FN1: (DPS)

  3. 2025-04-02 592

    (H) NR: EISCHEID, MINA

  4. 2025-04-02 592

    (H) DP: UNDERWOOD, VANCE, COSTELLO, GRAY

  5. 2025-04-02 592

    (H) JUD RPT CS(JUD) 4DP 2NR

  6. 2025-03-28 Min

    (H) Minutes (HJUD)

  7. 2025-03-28 Text

    (H) Moved CSHB 118(JUD) Out of Committee

  8. 2025-03-28 Text

    (H) JUDICIARY at 01:00 PM GRUENBERG 120

  9. 2025-03-21 Min

    (H) Minutes (HJUD)

  10. 2025-03-21 Text

    (H) Heard & Held

  11. 2025-03-21 Text

    (H) JUDICIARY at 01:00 PM GRUENBERG 120

  12. 2025-03-21 514

    (H) COSPONSOR(S): COSTELLO

  13. 2025-03-19 Min

    (H) Minutes (HJUD)

  14. 2025-03-19 Text

    (H) Heard & Held

  15. 2025-03-19 Text

    (H) JUDICIARY at 01:00 PM GRUENBERG 120

  16. 2025-02-26 251

    (H) JUD, FIN

  17. 2025-02-26 251

    (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

Official Summary Text

COUNCIL ON HUMAN AND SEX TRAFFICKING
An Act establishing the Council on Human and Sex Trafficking; and providing for an effective date.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
HB0118b -1- CSHB 118(JUD)
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

34-LS0316\H

CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 118(JUD)

IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA

THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION

BY THE HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

Offered: 4/2/25
Referred: Finance

Sponsor(s): REPRESENTATIVES VANCE, Underwood, Costello
A BILL

FOR AN ACT ENTITLED

"An Act establishing the Council on Human and Sex Trafficking; and providing for an 1
effective date." 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 3
* Section 1. AS 39.25.110 is amended by adding a new paragraph to read: 4
(46) the executive director o f the Council on Human and Sex 5
Trafficking employed under AS 44.41.155. 6
* Sec. 2. AS 39.50.200(b) is amended by adding a new paragraph to read: 7
(65) Council on Human and Sex Trafficking (AS 44.41.150). 8
* Sec. 3. AS 44.41 is amended by adding new sections to read: 9
Article 3. Council on Human and Sex Trafficking. 10
Sec. 44.41.150. Council on Human and Sex Trafficking. The Council on 11
Human and Sex Trafficking is cr eated in the Department of Publi c Safety. The 12
purpose of the council is to provi de planning and coordination of programs specific to 13
victim services, education, public awareness, data collection a nd dissemination, and 14
34-LS0316\H
CSHB 118(JUD) -2- HB0118b
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

reducing demand for human and sex trafficking. 1
Sec. 44.41.155. Duties. (a) The council shall 2
(1) elect one of its members as chair; 3
(2) develop and implement a standardized data collection syste m on 4
human and sex trafficking, including methods for synthesizing a nd disseminating data 5
and establishing standardized definitions as necessary; 6
(3) receive and dispense state and federal money and award gra nts and 7
contracts from appropriations t o qualified local community enti ties for the purpose of 8
human and sex trafficking intervention and prevention programs; 9
(4) oversee and audit qualified local community entities that receive 10
money from the council; 11
(5) coordinate and consult with the Department of Education and Early 12
Development, the Department of Co rrections, the Department of H ealth, the 13
Department of Law, the Department of Labor and Workforce Develo pment, the 14
Department of Family and Communi t y S e r v i c e s , t h e D e p a r t m e n t o f Public Safety, 15
other state agencies and qualified local community entities dea ling with human and 16
sex trafficking, including the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, and 17
survivors of human and sex traffi cking to develop educational materials and resources 18
related to, and increase public awareness of, human and sex trafficking; 19
(6) provide technical assistance as requested by the state age ncies and 20
qualified local community entities listed in (5) of this subsection; 21
(7) conduct public hearings and create opportunities for public input on 22
issues relating to human and sex trafficking in the state; 23
(8) make an annual report to t he governor on the activities of the 24
council, plans of the council for new services and programs, an d concerns of the 25
council, including recommendations for legislation necessary to carry out the purposes 26
of AS 44.41.150 - 44.41.175; the council shall notify the legis lature that the report is 27
available; 28
(9) recruit and hire an executive director to oversee the coun cil; the 29
executive director may hire staff; the executive director is in the exempt service under 30
AS 39.25.110 and staff members are in the classified service under AS 39.25.100. 31
34-LS0316\H
HB0118b -3- CSHB 118(JUD)
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

(b) The council may create advisory subcommittees. 1
Sec. 44.41.160. Membership. (a) The council consists of the following 17 2
members: 3
(1) nine members appointed by the governor as follows: 4
(A) two members who are mayors or elected officials in local 5
government; 6
(B) one member who represents a victim advocacy 7
organization; 8
(C) one member who represents an Alaska Native organization; 9
in this subparagraph, "Alaska Native organization" has the mean ing given in 10
AS 18.66.020(d); 11
(D) one member who represents a local law enforcement 12
agency; 13
( E ) o n e m e m b e r w h o r e p r e s e n t s a f a i t h - b a s e d c o m m u n i t y 14
organization; 15
(F) one member who represents an organization that provides 16
direct services to the homeless; 17
( G ) o n e m e m b e r w h o i s a l e a d e r o f a l a b o r o r t r a d e 18
organization; and 19
(H) one public member; 20
(2) the chief executive officer of the Alaska Mental Health Tr ust 21
Authority or the chief executive officer's designee; 22
(3) the commissioner of health or the commissioner's designee; 23
(4) the attorney general or the attorney general's designee; 24
(5) the commissioner of public safety or the commissioner's designee; 25
(6) the commissioner of corrections or the commissioner's designee; 26
(7) the commissioner of educati on and early development or the 27
commissioner's designee; 28
(8) the commissioner of labor a nd workforce development or the 29
commissioner's designee; and 30
(9) the commissioner of family and community services or the 31
34-LS0316\H
CSHB 118(JUD) -4- HB0118b
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

commissioner's designee. 1
(b) Public members of the council appointed under (a)(1) of th is section serve 2
three-year terms. A public member serves at the pleasure of the governor and may not 3
serve more than two consecutive terms. The governor shall fill a vacancy of a public 4
member on the board by appointment for the unexpired portion of the vacated term. 5
(c) A person who receives compensation from or is an employee of the state or 6
a human or sex trafficking crisis intervention or prevention pr ogram may not be 7
appointed as a public member of the council. 8
Sec. 44.41.165. Meetings and quorum. (a) The council shall meet at least 9
quarterly by teleconference or other electronic means at times to be determined by the 10
chair. Additional meetings by teleconference or other electroni c means may be called 11
by the chair. Advisory subcommittees shall meet by teleconferen ce or other electronic 12
means. The council may hold an annual in-person meeting. 13
(b) The council may convene public meetings in person to present information 14
and receive public comment. 15
(c) Nine members of the council or a majority of filled positi ons, whichever is 16
fewer, constitute a quorum for conducting business. 17
Sec. 44.41.170. Compensation and expenses. The members of the council 18
receive no salary but are entitle d to transportation expenses a nd per diem in 19
accordance with AS 39.20.180. 20
Sec. 44.41.175. Definitions. In AS 44.41.150 - 44.41.175, 21
(1) "council" means the Council on Human and Sex Trafficking; 22
(2) "human and sex trafficking" means conduct in violation of 23
AS 11.41.360, 11.41.365, or AS 11.66.110 - 11.66.130. 24
* Sec. 4. AS 44.66.010(a) is amended by adding a new paragraph to read: 25
(17) Council on Human and Sex Trafficking (AS 44.41.150) - June 30, 26
2029. 27
* Sec. 5. This Act takes effect July 1, 2026. 28