(1) A task force on missing and exploited children is established in the Washington state patrol. The task force shall be under the direction of the chief of the state patrol.

(2) The task force is authorized to assist law enforcement agencies, upon request, in cases involving missing or exploited children by:

(a) Direct assistance and case management;

(b) Technical assistance;

(c) Personnel training;

(d) Referral for assistance from local, state, national, and international agencies; and

(e) Coordination and information sharing among local, state, interstate, and federal law enforcement and social service agencies.

(3) To maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of state resources and to improve interagency cooperation, the task force shall, where feasible, use existing facilities, systems, and staff made available by the state patrol and other local, state, interstate, and federal law enforcement and social service agencies. The chief of the state patrol may employ such additional personnel as are necessary for the work of the task force and may share personnel costs with other agencies.

(4) The chief of the state patrol shall seek public and private grants and gifts to support the work of the task force.

(5) For the purposes of this chapter, "exploited children" means children under the age of eighteen who are employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed, or coerced to engage in, or assist another person to engage in, sexually explicit conduct. "Exploited children" also means the rape, molestation, or use for prostitution of children under the age of eighteen.

Finding—Intent—2016 c 208: "The legislature finds that the advisory board on missing and exploited children has successfully achieved seamless communication and coordinated efforts between Washington state agencies investigating child exploitation cases under the oversight of the Washington state patrol, thereby fully satisfying the purposes and goals of the advisory board as established in 1999 under RCW 13.60.120. The legislature therefore intends to ensure the multiagency task force on missing and exploited children continues to operate under the oversight of the Washington state patrol and continue to successfully identify and arrest individuals who exploit children." [ 2016 c 208 s 1.]

Short title—1999 c 168: See note following RCW 13.60.100.