HF 747 (LSB 2787YH (2) 91)

HOUSE FILE 747

BY  WOOD

A BILL FOR

An Act providing for a human trafficking task force and an annual report to the general assembly.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 80.45, subsection 3, paragraph h, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   h.  By November 1, 2017, and annually thereafter, submit a Submit an annual written report by November 1 to the general assembly regarding the office’s activities related to combatting human trafficking and occurrences of human trafficking within this state, and that includes the findings and recommendations provided by the human trafficking task force pursuant to section 80.45B, subsection 5.
    Sec. 2.  NEW SECTION.  80.45B  Human trafficking task force.
   1.  The commissioner shall establish, by January 30, 2026, a task force that shall do all of the following:
   a.  Collaborate with the office to combat human trafficking.
   b.  Identify current services available in the state to victims of human trafficking.
   c.  Develop information and materials available to the public to educate members of the public on ways to provide assistance to a person who may be a victim of human trafficking.
   d.  Report on findings and make recommendations in the report submitted to the general assembly under subsection 5.
   2.  The task force shall consist of the following members:
   a.  The commissioner or the commissioner’s designee.
   b.  The coordinator of the office to combat human trafficking.
   c.  The director of the law enforcement academy or the director’s designee.
   d.  The attorney general or the attorney general’s designee.
   e.  The director of the department of corrections or the director’s designee.
   f.  The director of the department of education or the director’s designee.
   g.  The following members who shall be appointed by the governor:
   (1)  The chief of police or head law enforcement official of a city in this state with a population of two hundred thousand or more as determined by the most recent population estimates issued by the United States bureau of census.
   (2)  The chief of police or head law enforcement official of a city in this state with a population of less than two hundred thousand as determined by the most recent population estimates issued by the United States bureau of census.
   (3)  A county sheriff.
   (4)  A county supervisor.
   (5)  A county attorney.
   (6)  A mayor or city manager. 
   (7)  An individual involved with the control or prevention of juvenile delinquency in the state.
   (8)  An individual involved with the control or prevention of child abuse in the state.
   (9)  Six members from the general public, at least three of whom are female, that includes all of the following:
   (a)  A professional involved with child welfare issues.
   (b)  A professional involved with juvenile delinquency proceedings.
   (c)  An individual who resides in a rural area.
   (d)  An individual who resides in an urban area.
   3.  a.  The members of the task force appointed by the governor shall serve six-year terms, except that of the members first appointed, four shall serve an initial two-year term, four shall serve an initial four-year term, and six shall serve an initial six-year term. Thereafter, all other appointed members shall serve a six-year term. 
   b.  The governor shall appoint a new member to fill a vacancy that occurs before the end of the term of a member appointed by the governor, and the newly appointed member shall serve for the remaining period of the term.
   c.  A member of the task force may be appointed to serve more than one term.
   d.  A member shall not continue to serve on the task force beyond the date at which the member no longer holds the office, employment, or status by which the member had been eligible to serve on the task force.
   e.  A member of the task force appointed by the governor may be removed from the task force for being absent from three regularly scheduled meetings of the task force during any six-month period.
   f.  Eleven members of the task force shall constitute a quorum and the task force shall have the power to act by a majority of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum is present. 
   4.  The commissioner or the commissioner’s designee shall serve as the chairperson of the task force.
   5.  The commissioner or the commissioner’s designee shall provide the findings and recommendations of the task force to the coordinator of the office of human trafficking for inclusion in the annual report submitted by the office to the general assembly pursuant to section 80.45, subsection 3, paragraph “h”.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill directs the commissioner of public safety to establish a human trafficking task force to investigate human trafficking (trafficking) in the state, collaborate with the office to combat human trafficking, identify current services available in the state to victims of human trafficking, develop information and materials available to the public to educate members of the public on ways to provide assistance to a person who may be a victim of human trafficking, and report on findings and make recommendations in the report submitted to the general assembly.
   The required members of the task force are specified in the bill. The bill requires the commissioner to provide the findings and recommendations of the task force to the coordinator of the office of human trafficking for inclusion in the annual report submitted by the office to the general assembly by November 1.