KRS 620.029: Duties of cabinet relating to children who are victims of human trafficking

-- Reporting requirements.

(1) In order to provide the most effective treatment for children who are victims of

human trafficking, as defined in KRS 529.010, and to ensure that law enforcement

and prosecutorial agencies have the resources and tools necessary to combat human

trafficking, the cabinet shall:

(a) Investigate a report alleging a child is a victim of human trafficking pursuant

to KRS 620.030(3);

(b) Provide or ensure the provision of appropriate treatment, housing, and

services consistent with the status of the child as a victim of human

trafficking; and

(c) Proceed in the case in accordance with applicable statutes governing cases

involving dependency, neg lect, or abuse regardless of whether the person

believed to have caused the human trafficking of the child is a parent,

guardian, or person exercising custodial control or supervision.

(2) In order to effectuate the requirements of this section, the cabinet shall:

(a) Consult with agencies serving victims of human trafficking to promulgate

administrative regulations for the treatment of children who are reported to be

victims of human trafficking as dependent, neglected, or abused children,

including providing for appropriate screening, assessment, treatment, services,

temporary and long -term placement of these children, training of staff, the

designation of specific staff, and collaboration with service providers and law

enforcement;

(b) By November 1 of each year, submit to the Legislative Research Commission

a comprehensive report detailing:

1. The number of reports the cabinet has received regarding child victims

of human trafficking;

2. The number of reports in which the cabinet has investigated and

determined that a child is the victim of human trafficking; and

3. The number of cases in which services were provided; and

(c) 1. Beginning in 2025, in addition to the information required un der

paragraph (b) of this subsection, include in its annual report to the

Legislative Research Commission for referral to the Interim Joint

Committee on Families and Children and the Interim Joint Committee

on Judiciary to the extent possible:

a. Information related to state enforcement of human trafficking

involving children in the Commonwealth, including the number

of:

i. Arrests as compiled by the Department of Kentucky State

Police; and

ii. Criminal charges and convictions, delineated by county or

district, as compiled by the Administrative Office of the

Courts;

b. The frequency at which services were made available to child

victims of human trafficking;

c. Recommendations for improving data collection so that

information may be obtained and analyzed in a larger percentage

of cases;

d. Recommendations for improving data sharing among service

providers, nongovernmental organizations, and government

agencies; and

e. Any other information that may assist in understanding the

causation of human trafficking of children in Kentucky and

stakeholders' abilities to provide services to victims.

2. If, after making reasonably diligent efforts to obtain the information

described in subparagraph 1. of this paragraph, the cabinet is unable to

obtain any of the informati on, the cabinet may submit an annual report

omitting that information, but shall provide an explanation for the

omission in the annual report.