Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Appropriations Committee

HB 2072

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: Concerning the child rescue fund.

Sponsors: Representatives Lovick, Caldier, Sawyer, McBride, Smith, Gregerson, Sells, Hayes and Stanford.

Brief Summary of Bill

  • Requires 5 percent of unclaimed state lottery prize money to be deposited in the Child Rescue Fund.

Hearing Date: 2/20/17

Staff: Meghan Morris (786-7119).

Background:

State Lottery Account.

The State Lottery Account is a nonappropriated enterprise account for all revenues from the sale of lottery products and expenses for payment of prizes to lottery winners, cost of sales, and retailer commissions.

Lottery prize money that goes unclaimed is retained in the State Lottery Account for the person entitled to it for 180 days after the prize is won or after the official end of the game. If no claim is made for the prize within 180 days, all rights to the prize are extinguished and the prize is retained in the State Lottery Fund for further use as prizes, except that one-third is deposited into the Economic Development Strategic Reserve Account.

Possession of Depictions of a Minor Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct.

A person commits the crime of Possession of Depictions of a Minor Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct when he or she knowingly possesses a visual or printed matter depicting a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

Possession of Depictions of a Minor Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct is either a class B felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine, or a class C felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine, depending on the content of the images.

In addition to these penalties, a person who is convicted of Possession of Depictions of a Minor Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct is assessed a $1,000 fee for each depiction or image of visual or printed matter that constitutes a separate conviction. These fees are deposited in the Child Rescue Fund.

Child Rescue Fund.

The Child Rescue Fund is a nonappropriated account inside the State Treasury. Only the Attorney General or his or her designee may authorize expenditures from the Child Rescue Fund. Account revenues are split as follows:

Child Advocacy Centers.

A child advocacy center is a child-focused facility in good standing with the state chapter for child advocacy centers and that coordinates a multidisciplinary process for the investigation, prosecution, and treatment of sexual and other types of child abuse. Child advocacy centers provide a location for forensic interviews and coordinate access to services such as medical evaluations, advocacy, therapy, and case review by multidisciplinary teams within the context of county protocols.

Washington State Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

The Task Force comprises local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies working to identify, arrest, and convict those individuals who victimize children by way of the Internet. Crimes investigated by the unit include: Communication with a Minor for Immoral Purposes, Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Possession of Depictions of Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct, and Dealing in Depictions of Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct. The Seattle Police Department is the lead agency for the Task Force, which is one of 61 such task forces in the United States funded by the United States Department of Justice.

Summary of Bill:

Five percent of unclaimed lottery prize money shall be deposited into the Child Rescue Fund.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.