5108-S2 AMH OBRI RAME 10

2SSB 5108 - H AMD TO CJC COMM AMD (H 2607.1/99) 0147 NOT CONSIDERED 04/15/99

By Representative O=Brien

On page 1, after line 35 of the striking amendment, insert:

ANEW SECTION. Sec. 2. 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. 3. (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;

(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 2 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. 4. This act may be known and cited as the Teekah Lewis act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. Sections 2 and 3 of this act are each added to chapter 13.60 RCW.@

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