AN
ACT Relating to missing and exploited children; adding new sections to chapter
13.60 RCW; and creating new sections.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE
LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 1. The
legislature finds a compelling need to address the problem of missing children,
whether those children have been abducted by a stranger, are missing due to
custodial interference, or are classified as runaways. Washington state ranks
twelfth in the nation for active cases of missing juveniles and, at any given
time, more than one thousand eight hundred Washington children are reported as
missing. The potential for physical and psychological trauma to these children
is extreme. Therefore, the legislature finds that it is paramount for the
safety of these children that there be a concerted effort to resolve cases of
missing and exploited children.
Due
to the complexity of many child abduction cases, most law enforcement personnel
are unprepared and lack adequate resources to successfully and efficiently
investigate these crimes. Therefore, it is the intent of the legislature that
a multiagency task force be established within the Washington state patrol, to
be available to assist local jurisdictions in missing child cases through
referrals, on-site assistance, case management, and training. The legislature
intends that the task force will increase the effectiveness of a specific case
investigation by drawing from the combined resources, knowledge, and technical
expertise of the members of the task force.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) A
task force on missing and exploited children is established in the Washington
state patrol. The task force shall be under the direction of the chief of the
state patrol.
(2)
The task force is authorized to assist law enforcement agencies, upon request,
in cases involving missing or exploited children by:
(a)
Direct assistance and case management;
(b)
Technical assistance;
(c)
Personnel training;
(d)
Referral for assistance from local, state, national, and international
agencies; and
(e)
Coordination and information sharing among local, state, interstate, and
federal law enforcement and social service agencies.
(3)
To maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of state resources and to improve
interagency cooperation, the task force shall, where feasible, use existing
facilities, systems, and staff made available by the state patrol and other
local, state, interstate, and federal law enforcement and social service
agencies. The chief of the state patrol may employ such additional personnel
as are necessary for the work of the task force and may share personnel costs
with other agencies.
(4)
The chief of the state patrol shall seek public and private grants and gifts to
support the work of the task force.
(5)
By December 1, 2001, and annually thereafter, the chief of the state patrol
shall submit a report to the appropriate committees of the legislature. The
report shall establish performance measurements and objectives for the task
force and assess the accomplishments of the task force.
(6)
For the purposes of sections 1 through 3 of this act, "exploited
children" means children under the age of eighteen who are employed, used,
persuaded, induced, enticed, or coerced to engage in, or assist another person
to engage in, sexually explicit conduct. "Exploited children" also
means the rape, molestation, or use for prostitution of children under the age
of eighteen.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 3. The
advisory board on missing and exploited children is established to advise the
chief of the Washington state patrol on the objectives, conduct, management,
and coordination of the various activities of the task force on missing and
exploited children.
(1)
The chief of the state patrol shall appoint five members to the advisory
board: (a) One member shall be a county prosecuting attorney or a
representative and shall be appointed in consultation with the elected county
prosecutors; (b) two members shall be a municipal police chief and a county
sheriff, or their representatives, and shall be appointed in consultation with
the association of sheriffs and police chiefs under RCW 36.28A.010; (c) one
member shall be a representative of the state patrol; and (d) one member shall
be a representative of parents of missing or exploited children.
(2)
A sixth member of the board shall represent and be appointed by the attorney
general.
(3)
To improve interagency communication and coordination, the chief of the state
patrol shall invite representatives of federal law enforcement agencies and
state social service agencies to participate in the advisory board.
(4)
The members of the board shall be qualified on the basis of knowledge and
experience as may contribute to the effective performance of the board's
duties. The board shall elect its own chair from among its members. Meetings
of the board may be convened at the call of the chair or by a majority of the
members.
(5)
The term of each member of the board shall be two years and shall be
conditioned upon the member retaining the official position from which the
member was appointed.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 4. This
act may be known and cited as the Teekah Lewis act.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 1. If
specific funding for the purposes of this act, referencing this act by bill or
chapter number, is not provided by June 30, 1999, in the omnibus appropriations
act, this act is null and void.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.
Sections 1 through 3 of this act are each added to chapter 13.60 RCW.
