HB433 Alabama 2015 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Jack Williams

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2015

Title

Human Trafficking Safe Harbor Act, crimes of prostitution, sexually exploited children, conviction or delinquency adjudication of prostitution prohibited under certain conditions, retention of jurisdiction by juvenile court, additional fines, counseling required, detention of foreign nationals under certain conditions, Sec. 13A-12-123 added

Description

This bill would provide a safe harbor provision in current law for a child who engages in the act of prostitution by providing that a sexually exploited child may not be adjudicated delinquent or convicted of a crime of prostitution, but that the child may be adjudicated a child in need of supervision or a dependent child.

This bill would prohibit the transfer of a case involving a sexually exploited child who commits an act of prostitution from the jurisdiction of juvenile court to any adult court.

This bill would provide that a juvenile court retains jurisdiction over a sexually exploited child and may issue any requisite order or conduct any hearing necessary to protect the health or safety of a sexually exploited child that is determined to be in the best interests of the child.

This bill would provide that certain social and community services shall be made available to sexually exploited children.

This bill would authorize the assessment of an additional fine of $500 upon conviction of the crimes of promoting prostitution and certain other crimes relating to prostitution and would provide that the fine be paid to a court-certified therapeutic counselor that provides education, treatment, and prevention counseling to persons convicted of prostitution offenses.

This bill would also allow the detention for ours of a foreign national who does not speak English if the person is arrested for the crime of prostitution to ensure that the person has access to certain resources, such as health care, shelter, and counseling.

Amendment 621 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, now appearing as Section 111.05 of the Official Recompilation of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended, prohibits a general law whose purpose or effect would be to require a new or increased expenditure of local funds from becoming effective with regard to a local governmental entity without enactment by a 2/3 vote unless: it comes within one of a number of specified exceptions; it is approved by the affected entity; or the Legislature appropriates funds, or provides a local source of revenue, to the entity for the purpose.

The purpose or effect of this bill would be to require a new or increased expenditure of local funds within the meaning of the amendment. However, the bill does not require approval of a local governmental entity or enactment by a 2/3 vote to become effective because it comes within one of the specified exceptions contained in the amendment.

Show more Show less

Subjects

Human Trafficking