SP0173
LD 512
Session - 128th Maine Legislature
C "A", Filing Number S-131, Sponsored by
LR 334
Item 2
Bill Tracking, Additional Documents Chamber Status

Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following:

‘Resolve, To Establish the Committee To Study the State's Response to the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Youth’

Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and before the summary and inserting the following:

Sec. 1. Committee To Study the State's Response to the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Youth established. Resolved: That, notwithstanding Joint Rule 353, the Committee To Study the State's Response to the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Youth, referred to in this resolve as "the committee," is established; and be it further

Sec. 2. Committee membership. Resolved: That the committee consists of 13 members as follows:

1. Five members appointed by the President of the Senate as follows:

A. Two members of the Senate, including one member from each of the 2 parties holding the largest number of seats in the Senate;
B. One member who is a representative of a sex trafficking survivor leadership organization;
C. One member who is a representative of the Department of Corrections; and
D. One member who is a representative of a mental health provider;

2. Six members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives as follows:

A. Two members of the House, including one member from each of the 2 parties holding the largest number of seats in the House;
B. One member who is a representative of a statewide coalition of organizations working to end sexual assault;
C. One member who is a representative of a statewide coalition of organizations working to end domestic violence;
D. One member who is a representative of youth homelessness services; and
E. One member who is a representative of a statewide organization of district attorneys;

3. The Attorney General or the Attorney General's designee; and

4. The director of the office of children and family services within the Department of Health and Human Services or the director's designee; and be it further

Sec. 3. Chairs. Resolved: That the first-named Senate member is the Senate chair and the first-named House of Representatives member is the House chair of the committee; and be it further

Sec. 4. Appointments; convening of committee. Resolved: That all appointments must be made no later than 30 days following the effective date of this resolve. The appointing authorities shall notify the Executive Director of the Legislative Council once all appointments have been completed. After appointment of all members, the chairs shall call and convene the first meeting of the committee. If 30 days or more after the effective date of this resolve a majority of but not all appointments have been made, the chairs may request authority and the Legislative Council may grant authority for the committee to meet and conduct its business; and be it further

Sec. 5. Duties. Resolved: That the committee shall study issues related to the commercial sexual exploitation of youth in the State as follows:

1. The existing policies, systems and resources related to preventing and responding to the commercial sexual exploitation of youth in the State, including but not limited to those related to the Department of Health and Human Services, juvenile justice, law enforcement and social services; and

2. The gaps and needs in existing policies, systems and resources related to preventing and responding to the commercial sexual exploitation of youth in the State.

The committee shall make recommendations related to improvement of the existing policies, systems and resources; and be it further

Sec. 6. Staff assistance. Resolved: That the Legislative Council shall provide necessary staffing services to the committee; and be it further

Sec. 7. Report. Resolved: That, no later than December 6, 2017, the committee shall submit a report that includes its findings and recommendations, including suggested legislation, for presentation to the Joint Standing Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety and to the Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services for consideration during the Second Regular Session of the 128th Legislature; and be it further

Sec. 8. Outside funding. Resolved: That the committee shall seek funding contributions to fully or partially fund the costs of the study. All funding is subject to approval by the Legislative Council in accordance with its policies.’

SUMMARY

This amendment replaces the bill with a resolve that establishes the Committee To Study the State's Response to the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Youth, and to assess the current policies, systems and resources; to assess gaps in the current policies, systems and resources; and to make recommendations related to improving the policies, systems and resources. The committee is required to report no later than December 6, 2017 with its findings and recommendations and suggested legislation to the Joint Standing Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety and the Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services. The amendment authorizes the committee to seek funding to partially or fully fund the study, subject to approval by the Legislative Council.

FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)


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