HB 264-CHILD TRAFFICKING SCREENING  4:16:08 PM CHAIR PRAX announced that the final order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 264, "An Act requiring the Department of Family and Community Services to adopt a uniform screening tool; requiring shelters for runaway minors to screen minors for victimization relating to sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and commercial sexual exploitation; requiring the Department of Family and Community Services to screen children in need of aid for victimization relating to sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and commercial sexual exploitation; and relating to the duty of the Department of Family and Community Services to investigate the experiences of missing children in need of aid who have been located." 4:16:30 PM REPRESENTATIVE SARAH VANCE, Alaska State Legislature, as prime sponsor, introduced HB 264 to the committee. She explained that the purpose of the bill was for the Department of Family and Community Services to adopt a universal screening tool for children who come into the department and for those who come into contact with runaway children in the state. The intent is to screen for sexual exploitation to make sure that children who come within our state services are being identified if they are being exploited in order to provide them with the services that they need. 4:17:40 PM ROBERT BALLINGER, Staff, Representative Sarah Vance, Alaska State Legislature, referenced questions from a previous House Health and Social Services committee hearing regarding HB 264. He explained that staff researched the federal law referred to in that committee hearing which went into effect in 2014. This bill will bring into compliance with that law which requires screening whenever individuals go missing from state care. 4:19:00 PM CHAIR PRAX opened public testimony on HB 264. 4:19:10 PM TERRA BURNS, Member, Community United for Safety and Protection, recommended that the committee amend the bill's definition of sex trafficking. She described her background and how it relates to HB 264, explaining that she was trafficked as a minor in Alaska and also did sex work as an adult. She did her graduate research in 2014 at University of Alaska, Fairbanks, on policy recommendations regarding Alaska's sex work, advocating for safety and protection. She requested that the committee amend HB 264 to use the criminal rather than the noncriminal definition for sex trafficking of minors. The youth shelters who use federal funding are tracking information about trafficking of minors in Alaska using the noncriminal definition. However, it is unknown how many minors in Alaska are being sex trafficked, are having survival sex, or are working in the commercial sex industry. She said that resources are going to the wrong places and the wrong policies. Alaska's youth need evidence-based policy and services that address their needs. She requested that the bill use the criminal definition of sex trafficking. 4:22:03 PM MICHELLE OVERSTREET, Founder and CEO, My House, spoke in support of HB 264. She described My House, a homeless youth drop-in center with wrap around services. She explained she supports the screening bill, so trafficked survivors can get the support they need from providers such as My House. Without a screening tool that examines what has been happening with the youth, it is difficult to know who has been trafficked. Without understanding the situation, youth are more likely to be revictimized and end up homeless or incarcerated. A good screening tool with properly worded questions helped My House identify over 50 youth who recognized that they had been trafficked when previously there had been only six. Data from a wide range of input is needed to adequately address the youths' needs and provide the services that they require. She described a situation in which screening helped prevent a sixteen-year-old from being taken and sold in Texas. She also discussed the high rate of child rape in Alaska and means for prevention. Using the screening tool would be hugely impactful for organizations that interact with potential victims. 4:26:57 PM CHAIR PRAX asked Ms. Overstreet whether her organization has a set of questions they ask. When she replied in the affirmative, he asked her to forward those to the committee. 4:28:00 PM JOE JONES, representing self, said he would like to go on record as being in support of HB 264. 4:28:28 PM MAXINE DOOGAN, Member, Community United for Safety and Protection, spoke in opposition to HB 264. She explained that she supported universal definitions, but she specifically wanted to see the criminal definitions put in place. She opposes using the Violence Against Women Act because it results in youth being arrested when they have been forced into prostitution. 4:30:13 PM CHAIR PRAX, after ascertaining there was no one else who wished to testify, closed public testimony on HB 264. 4:30:27 PM REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS said he had hoped to hear from the Alaska Institute for Justice on this bill to see what they are saying about vulnerable youth. He had read that there was a very sharp rise in child labor trafficking, particularly among migrant children and asked whether this is occurring in Alaska. 4:31:10 PM REPRESENTATIVE VANCE responded that her staff would reach out to the institute regarding children in labor trafficking in Alaska. 4:31:52 PM CHAIR PRAX asked about a specific list of questions that should be asked. REPRESENTATIVE VANCE explained that the bill as written does not mandate a specific list of questions. Rather, it encourages the department to expand on the screening they are already doing for trauma. It is recommended that the department collaborate with the Council on Human Trafficking. The bill intentionally does not provide a specific list of questions because of the wide variety of questions that can be asked. There are excellent models that can be provided, but it is up to the will of the committee how to proceed with HB 264. 4:33:11 PM CHAIR PRAX said the bill would be held for further consideration. REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS mentioned to the bill sponsor that he asked Legislative Legal Services to draft an amendment which would add labor trafficking based on the experience of prosecutors who found they could not document sex trafficking but were able to document labor trafficking of the same victim. This would give prosecutors more tools as in, for example, the case of a massage parlor where prosecutors can prove the child was be held for labor trafficking but could not prove the child had been subjected to sex trafficking. 4:34:09 PM The committee took a brief at-ease at 4:34 p.m. 4:35:02 PM CHAIR PRAX called the committee back to order and reopened public testimony on HB 264. 4:35:46 PM DELAYNA WEST, representing self, spoke in support of HB 264. She strongly encouraged the committee to support this bill and other bills like it for the safety of the children and the women in Alaska's communities. 4:36:50 PM CHAIR PRAX, after ascertaining there was no one else who wished to testify, closed public testimony on HB 264. CHAIR PRAX announced HB 264 was held over.