HB 2857-S - DIGEST
(DIGEST OF PROPOSED 1ST SUBSTITUTE)

Prohibits a person under age eighteen, suspected of committing the crime of prostitution, from being charged, prosecuted, or booked into detention for a prostitution offense.

Requires law enforcement, before completing a law enforcement contact with an individual under eighteen years of age suspected of prostitution, to: (1) Make a child abuse or neglect report;

(2) Deliver the youth to an evaluation and treatment facility for evaluation for immediate mental health or substance use disorder inpatient treatment; or

(3) Refer the individual to other appropriate services.

Requires the office of homeless youth prevention and protection programs to administer funding for two receiving center pilot programs for commercially sexually exploited youth.

Requires the department of social and health services to use existing behavioral health organizations or other qualified and appropriate entities to increase access to behavioral health treatment for commercially sexually exploited youth.

Requires the state institute for public policy to complete an evaluation of this act and the effects of this act on the availability of treatment options for commercially sexually exploited youth, the effectiveness of serving commercially sexually exploited youth, and other effects of this act, and provide a report to the legislature.