(1) Subject to the availability of funds appropriated for this purpose, the commercially sexually exploited children statewide coordinating committee is established to facilitate a statewide coordinated response to the commercial sexual exploitation of children, youth, and young adults 24 years old and younger by relying on the voices of those with lived experience, qualitative and quantitative data, and the collective expertise of youth-serving professionals and youth policy experts to increase supports, protections, and resource identification in the areas of prevention and intervention with a particular emphasis on improving the response of systems of care, including but not limited to child welfare, juvenile criminal legal, health care, and education.

(2) The committee is convened by the office of the attorney general. The committee consists of the following members:

(a) One member from each of the two largest caucuses of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;

(b) One member from each of the two largest caucuses of the senate appointed by the president of the senate;

(c) A representative of the governor's office appointed by the governor;

(d) The secretary of the department of children, youth, and families or his or her designee;

(e) The secretary of the juvenile rehabilitation administration or his or her designee;

(f) The attorney general or his or her designee;

(g) The superintendent of public instruction or his or her designee;

(h) A representative of the administrative office of the courts appointed by the administrative office of the courts;

(i) A representative of the Washington state patrol;

(j) The executive director of the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs or his or her designee;

(k) The executive director of the Washington state criminal justice training commission or his or her designee;

(l) A representative of the Washington association of prosecuting attorneys appointed by the association;

(m) The executive director of the office of public defense or his or her designee;

(n) Three representatives of community service providers that provide direct services to commercially sexually exploited children appointed by the attorney general;

(o) Two representatives of nongovernmental organizations familiar with the issues affecting commercially sexually exploited children appointed by the attorney general;

(p) The president of the superior court judges' association or his or her designee;

(q) The president of the juvenile court administrators or his or her designee;

(r) Any existing chairs of regional task forces on commercially sexually exploited children;

(s) A representative from the criminal defense bar;

(t) A representative of the center for children and youth justice;

(u) A representative from the office of crime victims advocacy;

(v) The executive director of the Washington coalition of sexual assault programs;

(w) The executive director of the statewide organization representing children's advocacy centers or his or her designee;

(x) A representative of an organization that provides inpatient chemical dependency treatment to youth, appointed by the attorney general;

(y) A representative of an organization that provides mental health treatment to youth, appointed by the attorney general;

(z) A survivor of human trafficking, appointed by the attorney general;

(aa) Two subject matter experts in intervention and prevention of commercial sexual exploitation of children, youth, and young adults;

(bb) A representative from a youth advocacy organization;

(cc) A representative from the office of homeless youth;

(dd) A representative from a homeless youth policy advocacy organization; and

(ee) A representative from the LGBTQ+ community.

(3) The duties of the committee include, but are not limited to:

(a) Overseeing and reviewing the implementation of the Washington state model protocol for commercially sexually exploited children at task force sites;

(b) Receiving reports and data from local and regional entities regarding the incidence of commercially sexually exploited children in their areas as well as data information regarding perpetrators, geographic data and location trends, and any other data deemed relevant;

(c) Receiving reports on local coordinated community response practices and results of the community responses;

(d) Reviewing recommendations from local and regional entities regarding policy and legislative changes that would improve the efficiency and effectiveness of local response practices;

(e) Making recommendations regarding policy and legislative changes that would improve the effectiveness of the state's response to and promote best practices for suppression of the commercial sexual exploitation of children;

(f) Making recommendations regarding data collection useful to understanding or addressing the problem of commercially sexually exploited children;

(g) Reviewing and making recommendations regarding strategic local investments or opportunities for federal and state funding to address the commercial sexual exploitation of children;

(h) Compiling data on the number of juveniles believed to be victims of sexual exploitation taken into custody under RCW 43.185C.260;

(i) Making recommendations on how to fulfill and improve Washington's safe harbor law, chapter 331, Laws of 2020 (Engrossed Third Substitute House Bill 1775), including addressing the lack of receiving centers; and

(j) Coordinating efforts on behalf of commercially sexually exploited children and youth across the state so as to avoid duplicative efforts, use resources more efficiently, and increase awareness of available resources.

(4) The committee must meet no less than annually.

(5) The committee shall annually report its findings and recommendations to the appropriate committees of the legislature and to any other known statewide committees addressing trafficking or the commercial sex trade.

(6) This section expires June 30, 2030.

Effective date—2024 c 298: See note following RCW 9A.40.100.