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HB0150a -1- HB 150
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HOUSE BILL NO. 150
IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA
THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION
BY REPRESENTATIVES VANCE, Saddler
Introduced: 3/21/25
Referred: Health and Social Services, Finance
A BILL
FOR AN ACT ENTITLED
"An Act requiring the Department of Family and Community Servic es to develop a 1
shared screening methodology; requiring shelters for runaway mi nors to screen minors 2
for victimization relating to sexual abuse, sex trafficking, an d commercial sexual 3
exploitation; requiring the Department of Family and Community Services to screen 4
children in need of aid for victimization relating to sexual ab use, sex trafficking, and 5
commercial sexual exploitation; and relating to the duty of the D e p a r t m e n t o f F a m i l y 6
and Community Services to investigate the experiences of missing children in need of aid 7
who have been located." 8
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 9
* Section 1. AS 47.10.394(c) is amended to read: 10
(c) In this section, 11
(1) "child abuse or neglect" has the meaning given in AS 47.17.290; 12
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HB 150 -2- HB0150a
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(2) "commercial sexual exploitation" means the sexual abuse or 1
exploitation of a child for the f inancial benefit of any person or in exchange for 2
anything of value given or received by any person. 3
* Sec. 2. AS 47.10.394 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 4
(d) A shelter for runaway minors shall use the screening methods developed in 5
AS 47.14.100(u) to screen minors receiving services to determine whether the minor is 6
a victim, or at risk of becoming a victim, of sexual abuse, sex trafficking, or 7
commercial sexual exploitation. A shelter for runaway minors sh all screen a minor 8
upon intake and any time the shelte r receives information that circumstances exist 9
indicating that the minor is at a heightened risk for sexual ab use, sex trafficking, or 10
commercial sexual exploitation. 11
* Sec. 3. AS 47.14.100(t) is amended by adding a new paragraph to read: 12
(4) "commercial sexual exploitation" means the sexual abuse or 13
e x p l o i t a t i o n o f a c h i l d f o r t h e f i n a n c i a l b e n e f i t o f a n y p e r s o n o r i n e x c h a n g e f o r 14
anything of value given or received by any person. 15
* Sec. 4. AS 47.14.100 is amended by adding new subsections to read: 16
(u) The department shall work with agency partners and advocac y 17
organizations to develop a shared screening methodology to appr opriately identify 18
whether a child is a victim of sexual abuse, sex trafficking, o r commercial sexual 19
exploitation. The methods shall support the trafficking information-gathering efforts in 20
the state. The department shall screen a child committed to the department upon the 21
child's initial commitment to the department and when the depar tment receives 22
information indicating that the child may be a victim of sexual abuse, sex trafficking, 23
or commercial sexual exploitation. 24
(v) Upon locating a child committed to the custody of the department who was 25
missing, abducted, or ran away, the department shall 26
(1) investigate the child's experiences while absent from the custody of 27
the department; 28
(2) determine the primary factors that caused or contributed t o the 29
child's absence; and 30
(3) screen the child to determine whether the child is a victim of sexual 31
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HB0150a -3- HB 150
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abuse, sex trafficking, or commercial sexual exploitation. 1
* Sec. 5. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 2
read: 3
TRANSITION. The Department of Family and Community Services shall develop and 4
begin using the shared screening methodology required by sec. 4 of this Act not later than one 5
year after the date this Act takes effect. 6