Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research | BILL ANALYSIS |
Public Safety Committee |
SSB 5933
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent. |
Brief Description: Establishing a statewide training program on human trafficking laws for criminal justice personnel.
Sponsors: Senate Committee on Law & Justice (originally sponsored by Senators O'Ban, Kohl-Welles, Miloscia, Fraser, Fain, Padden, Hasegawa, Litzow, Dammeier, Chase and Conway).
Brief Summary of Substitute Bill |
|
Hearing Date: 3/20/15
Staff: Cassie Jones (786-7303).
Background:
The Office of Crime Victims Advocacy (OCVA) is a program of the Department of Commerce, which performs the following functions:
advocates on behalf of victims obtaining needed services and resources;
administers grant funding for community programs working with victims of crimes;
assists communities in planning and implementing services for crime victims; and
advises local and state government agencies of practices, policies, and priorities which impact crime victims.
The OCVA administers grant funding to community agencies providing services to human trafficking victims. The OCVA defines human trafficking as occurring when a person uses violence, deception, or threats to force or coerce another person to provide labor or commercial sex, and to prevent that person from leaving the situation. It also occurs when a person recruits, harbors, transports, provides, or obtains another person knowing that force, fraud, or coercion will be used to exploit the other person for labor or commercial sex. Travel is not always involved.
Summary of Bill:
The OCVA must establish a statewide training program on human trafficking laws for criminal justice personnel. The training must be provided where possible by an entity that has experience in developing coalitions, training, programs, and policy on human trafficking. The entity will provide or coordinate training for law enforcement personnel, prosecutors, and court personnel covering state anti-trafficking laws and sex trafficking investigations and adjudications. The training must encourage interdisciplinary coordination among criminal justice personnel, build cultural competency, and develop understanding of diverse victim populations. The OCVA must provide a biennial report to the Legislature on the statewide training program, with a focus on the effectiveness of the training.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.