HF 449 (LSB 2219YH (1) 91)

HOUSE FILE 449

BY  A. MEYER

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to screening children for commercial sexual exploitation in certain circumstances.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 232.2, Code 2025, is amended by adding the following new subsection:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  7A.  “Commercial sexual exploitation” means causing a child, by force, fraud, or coercion, to engage in sex or sexually explicit activities for money, goods, services, or the promise of money, goods, or services.
    Sec. 2.  Section 232.28, subsection 2, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   2.  The Upon receiving a complaint under subsection 1, the court or its designee shall refer do all of the following:
   a.  Refer the complaint to an intake officer who shall consult with law enforcement authorities having knowledge of the facts and conduct a preliminary inquiry to determine what action should be taken.
   b.  Order the child subject to the complaint to be screened for commercial sexual exploitation.
    Sec. 3.  Section 232.71B, subsection 1, paragraph a, unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   If the department determines a report constitutes a child abuse allegation, the department shall promptly have the child subject to the child abuse allegation screened for commercial sexual exploitation, and shall commence either a child abuse assessment within twenty-four hours of receiving the report or a family assessment within seventy-two hours of receiving the report.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill relates to screening children for commercial sexual exploitation (exploitation) in certain circumstances.
   The bill defines “commercial sexual exploitation” as causing a child, by force, fraud, or coercion, to engage in sex or sexually explicit activities for money, goods, services, or the promise of money, goods, or services.
   The bill requires the juvenile court or the court’s designee to order a child screened for exploitation when the court receives a complaint alleging that the child committed a delinquent act.
   The bill requires the department of health and human services (HHS) to screen a child for exploitation if HHS determines a report it receives alleging child abuse constitutes a child abuse allegation.