Bill > H1071

This bill, titled "Commercially Sexually Exploited Children," aims to strengthen protections and improve the handling of children who are victims of commercial sexual exploitation, which is defined as a child engaging in prostitution or participating in commercial sexual exploitation. It specifies that law enforcement officers can only take a child believed to be commercially sexually exploited into custody if they have probable cause, and then the child must be immediately transferred to a facility with specialized services for such children. The bill outlines requirements for the Department of Children and Families (DCF) to assess these children, including placement in a "protective secure residential treatment program" for up to 21 days if they are deemed at high risk of continued exploitation, with assessments conducted by a "qualified examiner," defined as a licensed psychiatrist or psychologist with at least three years of experience in treating children with mental health, substance abuse, and trauma issues. The bill also mandates dependency petitions in certain circumstances, requires reports from examiners, and ensures that "safe harbor" provisions, which offer protections and services to victims, apply to children who are victims of commercial sexual exploitation.