Transcript Highlights:

• I'll remind you that men can also be sexually assaulted.
• Non-consensual exposure to another sex's genitalia or even sexual assault.
• We know based on convictions that the transgenders do attack women, but we also know that sexual predators
• Finally, trans people are not a violent community.
• This bill won't stop predators, it will just put a target on my back.

Bills: SB240, SB1183, SB1184, SB1577, SB2043, SB2051, SCR42, SJR68

Keywords: biological sex, gender identity, public facilities, civil penalties, local government, EBT, electronic benefits transfer, food stamps, SNAP, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, TANF, temporary assistance for needy families, welfare benefits, benefit card fraud, fraud hotline, card replacement, photo ID, recipient photograph, HHSC, Health and Human Services Commission

Transcript Highlights:

• Washington further distinguishes involuntary servitude and sexually explicit acts as forms of trafficking
• Washington further distinguishes involuntary servitude and sexually explicit acts as forms of trafficking
• I think the first one I did was on the tracking system for sexual assault kids.
• I think the first one I did was on the tracking system for sexual assault kids.
• So I'm here representing Waste Forward, which is Washington Against Sexual Exploitation, and I'm also

Summary: The committee held public hearings on several bills. SB 5720 would enact the Uniform Consumer Debt Default Judgments Act, adding complaint and notice requirements before default judgments in consumer debt cases and preserving existing debt-buyer protections; the sponsor and witnesses from consumer and collection groups described it as a compromise measure, and there was broad support with 53 people signed in pro. SB 5833 would allow a vehicle to remain running for up to 30 minutes to keep a pet safe from heat or cold; the sponsor said he would amend liability language, while animal control and police groups raised concerns about shifting the focus away from animal welfare and creating liability issues, though many sign-ins were pro (107 pro, 4 con). SB 5936 would update human trafficking law by allowing prosecution of business entities that knowingly benefit from trafficking, adding confidentiality protections for victims, and creating a process for T and U visa certifications; survivors and advocacy groups supported it, while hospitality and law enforcement groups asked for clarifying amendments, especially on business liability and duplicative visa procedures, and sign-ins showed 24 pro and 283 con. SB 5993 would prohibit interest on new and unpaid medical debt and shorten enforcement of judgments involving medical debt to six years without renewal; supporters said it would reduce financial harm and help patients, while hospitals, physicians, collectors, and business groups warned it could discourage payment and worsen provider finances, especially for rural hospitals, with 129 sign-ins pro and no con sign-ins. Finally, SB 5735 would create state standards for labeling imitation firearms, including BB guns and toy guns, with advisories and penalties for altered markings; the sponsor said it was intended to reduce mistaken shootings, while gun-rights and firearms-training witnesses argued federal law already covers the issue and that the bill would burden lawful training and competition, with 8 pro and 184 con sign-ins. The committee closed each public hearing and adjourned without recorded votes on the bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• Sexual predators not only portray themselves as trustworthy.
• This is a sickness at the soul of a child sexual predator.
• Of child sexual abuse.
• Victims of child sexual abuse.
• That is textbook sexual predator behavior.

Bills: HB34, HB128, HB621, HB748, HB2259, HB2960, HB3113, HB4749, SB835, HB128

Keywords: HB 128, sister city, sister-city agreement, international exchange, municipal diplomacy, local government, state agency, political subdivision, foreign adversary, China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Taiwan, major non-NATO ally, cultural exchange, educational exchange, tourism, bilateral cooperation, foreign relations

Transcript Highlights:

• Adoptees are simply asking for their own birth record, a vital record that predates and is independent
• Adoptees are simply asking for their own birth record, a vital record that predates and is independent
• Facilities connecting their prior identities to their violent histories becomes nearly impossible.
• The government will actively obstruct the records that protect women from predators.
• characteristics or sexual orientation or anything else.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So currently in law, for the purposes of the section, sexual contact means sexual intercourse, genital-to-genital
• So currently in law, for the purposes of the section, sexual contact means sexual intercourse, genital-to-genital
• abuse and sexual harassment,' end quote.
• Women who are in the custody of the state must be kept safe from sexual predators.
• exploitation of a child, or sexual battery.

Summary: The committee first approved the February 16, 2026 minutes and then voted to send two gubernatorial appointments to the floor with recommendations for confirmation: Terry Kirkham to the Commission of Pardons and Parole and Paula Garay to the Sex Offender Management Board. Brian Marks appeared for reappointment to the Sex Offender Management Board and answered questions about his background and the board’s work, including a planned tiered sex offender registry proposal for a future session; the committee said it would vote on his reappointment later. The committee also delayed action on Judge Conneroli’s appointment because of technical issues. It then voted to print several RSs, including one dealing with mandatory minimum rape sentencing and others related to commerce and committee rules. The committee spent most of its time on House Bill 668, which would revise Idaho’s child custody interference law by creating a graduated penalty structure, adding affirmative defenses, and requiring law enforcement to verify the child’s location when a report is made. The bill’s sponsors said it was intended to address repeated custody-order violations and give police and prosecutors clearer guidance, while supporters described personal experiences with lost parenting time. Opponents, including the Idaho Chiefs of Police Association and the Idaho Prosecuting Attorneys Association, argued the bill would place family-court judgments on patrol officers, require too much field investigation, and create inconsistent enforcement; they also raised concerns about the 24-hour felony threshold and the new citation process. After discussion, the committee voted on a motion to send the bill to the floor but then held House Bill 668 in committee for further work. The committee then advanced several other bills. House Bill 696, which clarifies the definition of sexual contact in correctional settings to address alleged abuse of incarcerated women, received supportive testimony from a university women’s group and an individual advocate, and was sent to the floor with a due pass recommendation. House Bill 602, which codifies that Idaho courts will not apply foreign law in certain disputes involving Idaho residents, also passed to the floor with a due pass recommendation. House Bill 683, which clarifies where a sex offender is considered to reside and removes a care-facility exemption near schools and daycares, was supported by the Idaho Sheriffs’ Association and the Sex Offender Management Board and was sent to the floor with a due pass recommendation. The committee also heard House Bill 685, which would enhance penalties for crimes committed while wearing a mask to conceal identity; the Idaho Chiefs of Police supported the bill, but members raised questions about the law-enforcement carveout and whether the language was overbroad, and the discussion was not concluded in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• threshold to allow for the death penalty and did the same thing for capital crimes as it relates to sexual
• Pretrial detention is already required for other serious violent crimes.
• recognize the right of a nation to defend itself and keep communities safe from those who have committed violent
• Their job is rapid response to sexual offenders and predators where there are 6,000 of them.
• 25 illegals convicted of child sexual crimes in the US deported in October.

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Please don't conflate sexual orientation with gender identity. Thank you.
• orientation to this sexual orientation.'
• orientation, I'm going to change you to that sexual orientation,' that's what the bill covers.
• orientation, I'm going to change you to that sexual orientation,' that's what the bill covers.
• But these predators are working with their rivals.

Summary: The committee heard SB 934 by Senator Wiener, which would extend the statute of limitations for malpractice claims arising from conversion therapy and clarify how expert testimony and scientific evidence may be used in those cases. Supporters, including a survivor, a licensed therapist, and LGBTQ advocacy groups, described conversion therapy as harmful and argued survivors often cannot come forward within current filing deadlines. Opponents, including civil justice and conservative legal groups, argued the bill was a workaround to recent Supreme Court rulings and raised concerns about free speech, evidentiary standards, and whether the bill could chill legitimate therapy. Committee members largely focused on whether the bill was limited to conversion therapy malpractice claims and not broader gender-affirming care; the bill was moved on a 7-2-1 vote to Senate Appropriations and placed on call. The consent calendar was also adopted on a 6-0 vote and placed on call. The committee then heard SB 1092 by Senator Allen, a housing bill aimed at manufactured home parks. The bill would give residents or their designated representatives a right to make a competitive bid when a park owner intends to sell, lease, or transfer a park, with notice and response periods intended to give residents time to organize financing. Supporters said the measure would preserve naturally occurring affordable housing, especially for older and lower-income residents, and help resident-owned cooperatives or nonprofits buy parks before investor buyers do. Opponents from park owner and realtor groups argued the bill would burden private property rights, devalue parks, and create unconstitutional takings and litigation risk. Committee questions centered on the bill’s timelines, whether residents would have 120 days to express interest and another 120 days to close, and whether the purchase agreement would be binding if accepted. The author and supporters said the second period was needed for due diligence and financing, while opponents said the structure could still delay sales and reduce market value. Several members expressed support for the bill’s goal but asked for further clarification or possible tightening of the timing and good-faith provisions; no final vote on SB 1092 was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Courts have dismissed cases involving harassment and stalking, sexual exploitation, child sexual abuse
• contacted, groomed, given a fake prescription pill that unknowingly contained fentanyl, and then sexually
• He was a predator on Instagram, and like too many parents, I learned after my child was gone that the
• contacted groomed given a fake prescription pill that unknowingly contained fentanyl and then was sexually
• exploited she met this man he approached her he was a predator on Instagram and like too many parents

Summary: The committee began as a subcommittee due to the lack of a quorum and heard several privacy- and technology-related measures. The first item was H.R. 117, a resolution urging Congress to reform Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. The author and supporters argued the law is outdated and shields platforms from accountability for harms such as harassment, exploitation, scams, and other online abuse. Witnesses, including a survivor parent and a gender justice advocate, described harms to children, women, and LGBTQ people and urged a two-year sunset to force federal reform. Some members supported the resolution as a call for federal action, while one member said he could not support it because the resolution was too general and lacked specificity about the reforms being sought. No vote was taken because the committee lacked a quorum. The committee then heard SB 898, which would require manufacturers of connected consumer products to disclose how long they will support the software and to notify consumers when products approach end of life. The author said consumers deserve transparency about security updates and continued functionality, and supporters from Consumer Reports and PIRG emphasized cybersecurity risks, consumer confusion, and electronic waste from unsupported devices. Opponents, including business and industry groups, raised concerns about enforcement through the unfair competition law, notice burdens, labeling issues, and compliance challenges, especially for products with long support windows or third-party dependencies. One member expressed support, noting the cybersecurity risks of end-of-life devices, but again no vote was taken because there was no quorum. The committee also heard SB 435, which would narrow the CCPA definition of publicly available information to limit how businesses classify data as public. The author and supporters said the bill would close a loophole that allows data brokers and others to monetize personal information without meaningful consent and could help prevent surveillance and misuse of data, including by government agencies. Opponents argued the bill would upset the balance between privacy and the free flow of information, create compliance uncertainty, and retroactively reclassify information that businesses reasonably believed was public. Some members said they supported the goal of stronger privacy protections, while others said the bill was too broad. The committee again could not vote due to the lack of a quorum. Later, the committee heard SB 923, which would expand Californians’ right to delete personal information to cover data obtained from third parties and require online businesses to offer a web form or similar method for deletion requests. Supporters, including the California Privacy Protection Agency and consumer advocates, said the bill would make deletion rights meaningful and better address data broker practices. Opponents sought an opt-out-of-processing alternative and raised operational and legal concerns, but supporters said deletion is not the same as retention or processing limits. Members largely spoke in favor of the bill’s privacy goals, but no action was taken. The committee also heard SB 947, the “No Robo Bosses Act,” which would require human review for certain automated employment decisions and limit predictive analysis in workplace discipline and termination. Labor groups supported the bill as a safeguard against biased or erroneous AI-driven decisions, while business, public employer, and local government groups opposed it as overbroad and burdensome. Members voiced support for human oversight in employment decisions, but the item was not voted on because the committee still lacked a quorum. Finally, the committee began hearing SB 1114, the SOGI Data Privacy Act, which would restrict disclosure of sexual orientation, gender identity, and intersex data to federal agencies absent a court order or legal requirement; the author and witness framed it as a response to federal efforts to obtain sensitive LGBTQ-related data.

Transcript Highlights:

• A violent, horrible murder in their immediate family.
• I mean, we know that coaches, there's been sexual misconduct with coaches and students.
• Women are susceptible to predators more than others.
• We're not talking about violent felonies.
• We're not talking about violent felonies.

Summary: The House met with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and approval of the House Journal by roll call vote, 133-0. The session then included many introductions of interns, guests, and a Teacher Appreciation Day statement. A committee report recommended passage of Senate Bill 903, and the chamber moved into third reading and amendment action on Senate Bill 1421 and related measures. Members debated and adopted a long series of amendments covering public safety, criminal justice, schools, and corrections. Topics included drone enforcement authority for law enforcement, a Missouri Ranger school safety program and school bus stop-arm penalties, Clean Slate automatic expungement language narrowed to drug offenses, an Alzheimer’s task force and dementia training for law enforcement, fire hydrant testing, pseudoephedrine access, banning portable electronic devices in prisons, hands-free cell phone law fixes, critical infrastructure protections, parental accountability for minors’ offenses, fentanyl trafficking, attorney general firearms authority, support for St. Louis and Kansas City police boards, DNA collection on arrest for additional crimes, a 25-foot buffer around first responders, a domestic violence registry, squatter and notary fraud fixes, gift card fraud, and post-conviction death penalty procedures. Several amendments drew opposition over civil liberties, school safety, prison penalties, and death penalty concerns, but most were adopted. The most contested item was the death penalty post-conviction relief amendment, which members argued either would streamline appeals and risk wrongful executions or would provide needed finality for victims; it ultimately passed 75-68 after a roll call vote. Another notable debate centered on the St. Louis Police Board amendment, with members disputing who should pay for police overtime and liability costs. The transcript ends amid discussion of a corrections-related amendment on good-time credit and rehabilitation programming, with the amendment to the amendment being supported by members from both parties.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:32:19.919><c> predators</c><00:32:20.480><c> to</c> safe haven for uh sexual predators to safe
• haven for uh sexual predators to avoid<00:32:21.120><c> registration.
• This is classic grooming of a sexual predator before she crosses into the laws that are already on the
• This is classic grooming of a sexual predator before she crosses into the laws that are already on the
• </c> This is classic grooming of sexual This is classic grooming of sexual predator<00:35:06.000><c>

Bills: HB0008, HB0009, HB0028

Keywords: stalking, minors, felony, protection orders, criminal penalties, grooming, sexual offenses, child protection, sexual exploitation, law amendment, explicit conduct, sex crimes, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> series she was doing on the sexual series she was doing on the sexual grooming<00:11:50.680><c>
• </c> Because as a 10th grader, I was sexually Because as a 10th grader, I was sexually groomed<00:12:
• </c> future sexual abuse easier. future sexual abuse easier.
• But to all those sexual predators who are out there going after our children and going into our schools
• </c><00:41:28.560><c> predators</c> But to all those sexual predators But to all those sexual predators

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• The clerk will read: Senate Bill 380 by Senator Jones, relating to sexually violent predators, and declaring
• State Hospitals to conduct a study on the feasibility of using state-run transitional housing for sexually
• violent predators, known as SVPs.

Summary: The Assembly convened, established a quorum, offered prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and then moved through a long floor file with many Senate bills. Early procedural actions included unanimous-consent motions, a successful roll-call to rescind prior action on SB 351, and a 54-vote suspension of Joint Rule 61(a)(3) to allow floor amendments on SBs 80, 351, and 415. The chamber also made several referrals, moved one item to the inactive file, and welcomed new Assembly Member Natasha Johnson and other guests. The bulk of the meeting consisted of concurrence and third-reading votes on a wide range of measures, many of them passing with little or no opposition. Topics included tribal gaming grants (AB 221), State Bar fee and bar exam changes (SB 253), AI guardrails in community colleges (SB 241), consumer arbitration clauses (SB 82), due process for law enforcement in Racial Justice Act cases (SB 734), dental payment fee disclosures (SB 386), HOA balcony inspection reports (SB 410), farmland protection and EIFD rules (SB 5 and SB 516), emergency shelter zoning (SB 340), HIV confidentiality (SB 504), election signature-cure reforms (SB 3), contractor workers’ compensation compliance (SB 291), fire training funding (SB 345), wage theft enforcement (SB 355 and SB 261), food allergen disclosures (SB 68), ride-share insurance coverage (SB 371), housing and disaster recovery measures (SB 233, SB 625, SB 21), midwifery education (SB 520), mobile home insurance access (SB 525), epinephrine in schools (SB 568), health facility emergency licensing (SB 582), hair relaxer enforcement (SB 236), wastewater surveillance (SB 317), and several tax, transportation, and public health bills. A number of bills drew brief policy debate or opposition. SB 388, creating a California Latino Commission, prompted criticism from some members who argued the money should go directly to community needs rather than a new commission; it still passed. SB 50 on digital safety for victims of abuse, SB 20 on silicosis prevention, SB 306 on prior authorization reform, SB 373 on oversight of out-of-state special education placements, and SB 437 on reparations descendant-status verification were among the more substantive and discussed measures. Most bills passed by wide margins, often unanimously, and several urgency or tax-levy measures required 54 votes and were approved. The session ended with continued passage of remaining file items and multiple items retained or passed temporarily for later action.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> that the death of some uh the sexual that the death of some uh the sexual contact<00:06:10.960><
• </c> to anyone convicted of uh a sexual to anyone convicted of uh a sexual assault<00:08:24.080><c> of
• </c><00:27:39.679><c> um</c> this specific bill is about sexual um this specific bill is about sexual
• I implore... sexual violence. And that's abhorrent. sexual violence. And that's abhorrent.
• </c> &gt;&gt; uh sexual &gt;&gt; uh sexual &gt;&gt; sexual<04:43:49.440><c> activity.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Specifically, the board is seeking authority to consider any prior discipline involving sexual abuse
• Of sexual misconduct, just in more nonviolent offenses.
• One of our asks, as you're pointing out, is related to sexual offense in relationship to licensure and
• So we want to know the significance of that sexual misconduct, whether, of course, if it was violent
• And if a person's a predator and they can reoffend, that's a public protection issue.

Summary: The joint Assembly and Senate Business and Professions sunset oversight hearing focused first on the Board of Registered Nursing (BRN), with committee chairs emphasizing oversight, consumer protection, workforce access, and economic mobility. BRN leaders reported improvements since the last review, including faster licensing timelines, streamlined enforcement, higher consumer satisfaction, growth in pre-licensure enrollment, and expanded data collection. Members questioned the board about nurse practitioner scope and supervision, international and military pathways to licensure, online nursing education and clinical requirements, rural workforce shortages, and the 30-unit LVN-to-RN option. BRN staff explained California’s tiered advanced practice system, the NCLEX and certification requirements, English proficiency rules, clinical hour standards, and the board’s role in approving programs and supporting schools through nursing education consultants. Several members and the board president also discussed the need to retain new graduates, improve diversity in the workforce, and better support nontraditional students and rural placements. Public comment on the BRN sunset review was extensive and largely supportive of the board, while also urging policy changes. Nurse practitioner, nurse anesthetist, nurse midwife, and nursing education groups generally supported the BRN report and especially backed clarification of APRN-to-RN delegation authority under issue 13. Other commenters asked for clearer implementation of AB 890, more flexibility for clinical nurse specialists, streamlined renewals for nurse midwives, and changes to federal loan limits affecting graduate nursing education. Higher education representatives and private nursing schools raised concerns about duplicative BRN documentation, clinical placement bottlenecks, and barriers faced by out-of-state and online programs seeking to serve California students. The California Medical Association and some physician groups opposed easing transition-to-practice requirements for out-of-state nurse practitioners and cautioned against changes to specialty and delegation rules, while the California Nurses Association and others stressed the importance of community college pathways, new graduate support, and workforce retention. The hearing then moved to the Physical Therapy Board of California. Board leadership reported that the board oversees more than 41,000 active licensees, has seen about 15% growth since 2021, and continues to maintain high exam pass rates among California physical therapy and physical therapist assistant programs. The board described its mission as consumer protection through licensing, enforcement, continuing competency oversight, and stakeholder engagement. The vice president’s remote testimony encountered technical problems, so the executive officer continued with a brief overview of the board’s work and its commitment to efficient service and public protection. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• I felt violently exposed. I felt disrespected. I wanted to scream.
• As a counselor in training, I have worked with perpetrators of sexual assault in group counseling.
• and sexual partners as the prize.
• I was in a shower when a man came into our girl's dorm and had sexual play with the RA.
• They also send women into the ER, which allows sexual abusers to continue exploiting women.

Bills: HB7, SB 8, HB7, SB 8

Keywords: abortion, healthcare, jurisdiction, civil action, qui tam, prohibition, state law, sex designation, restroom access, civil penalties, private civil right of action, women's privacy, 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Rural communities are overwhelmed by high volumes of conflicts with large predators.
• These predators, such as mountain lions, bears, or wolves, are killing livestock, pets, and people.
• Yes, behind each of these horrific images is a child who's been sexually abused.
• A child who's been sexually abused.
• I've personally seen sexual assault victims get directed to weed. members do.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Not everyone on the registry is a predator or someone you should be afraid of.
• In fact, On the registry is a predator or someone you should be afraid of.
• And I'll tell you, I've been sexually assaulted.
• I've also represented victims of violent crimes, I've also represented victims of violent crimes, and
• His crime was not violent. He is not violent. And he was never a dangerous predator.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several public safety, criminal justice, and regulatory bills. HB 4995 would create a training and certification program allowing licensed physicians and certain EMS personnel assigned to tactical units to carry firearms during high-risk deployments, with supporters saying it would let tactical medical staff protect themselves while providing immediate care; the bill was left pending. HB 2609 would repeal the failure-to-appear-or-pay/OmniBase license-hold program, with the author and advocates arguing it creates compounding debt and unnecessary barriers to driving, while judges and municipal court representatives said the program is a voluntary, cost-effective tool that improves court appearances and reduces warrants; the bill was also left pending. HB 4879 would create a grant program to help local law enforcement pay for lab testing of suspected hemp/Delta-9 THC substances, and HB 5436 would let licensed auto recyclers buy certain untitled vehicles for scrap or parts to curb illegal sales, VIN cloning, and chop shops; both measures were left pending after brief testimony in support. The committee also heard HB 1777, which would require a discrete designation on driver’s licenses and state IDs for people required to register as sex offenders. The author and supporters argued the marker would help law enforcement and businesses quickly identify potentially dangerous offenders and prevent harm, while opponents called it a stigmatizing “scarlet letter” that would increase harassment, family harm, and reintegration barriers. The bill was left pending. HB 4155 would create a two-year Family Violence Criminal Homicide Prevention Task Force in the Governor’s Office to study family violence homicides, gather stakeholders, and recommend policy changes; the author, HHSC, the Texas Council on Family Violence, and a survivor testified in support, and the bill was left pending. The committee also heard HB 4514, which would authorize DPS to use facial image verification, with consent and privacy safeguards, to help businesses confirm identities and combat fraud; supporters from the lumber and identity-verification industries said it would reduce theft and fraud, and the bill was left pending. Finally, HB 5139 would clarify that peace officers and jailers are justified in using less lethal force weapons when acting within training and official duties; law enforcement groups supported the measure as a way to encourage use of less lethal tools without fear of prosecution, and testimony was underway when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• and sexual partners as the prize.
• Just as it is not fair to treat me or you as a potential sexual predator based on our anatomy, it is
• And had sexual play with the RA. I had to stay in the shower for 40 minutes till they got done.
• They also send one and two women to the ER, um, which also allows sexual abusers.
• These pills also allow sexual abusers to continue exploiting women.

Bills: HB7, SB 8

Keywords: abortion, healthcare, jurisdiction, civil action, qui tam, prohibition, state law, sex designation, restroom access, civil penalties, private civil right of action, women's privacy

Transcript Highlights:

• They got these guys on their way to go commit another armed robbery, violent armed robbery and they took
• Just last year we investigated 222 violent threats to elected officials along and many of those cases
• This was designed to target the guys who who are predators of the end user.
• One of which was the 8,000 sexual assault kits that were identified that it never been submitted between

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• sexual abuse.
• We have had them, obviously, sexual exploitation, and they continue to sexually exploit them until they
• can no longer sexually exploit them.
• We have had them, obviously, sexual exploitation. and We have had them, obviously, sexual exploitation
• , and they continue to sexually exploit them until they can no longer sexually exploit them.

Summary: The committee held its inaugural meeting and heard opening remarks from the chair and vice chair about the committee’s purpose: studying issues affecting women and children in Louisiana, including health, education, economic opportunity, safety, and criminal justice. After roll call, the committee proceeded with informational presentations rather than taking any formal votes. Members emphasized the committee’s role in gathering testimony and identifying policy solutions. The first major presentation came from the Governor’s Office of Human Trafficking Prevention. The director reviewed 2025 data showing 2,963 identified victims, 15,437 service instances, and trafficking reports in 62 of 64 parishes. She explained Louisiana’s coordinated response system, including screening tools, child advocacy center referrals, and the DCFS hotline option for trafficking reports. She also described familial trafficking, new victim outreach and identification tools, and two priority bills: HB 321, which would create immunity from prostitution offenses for child victims under Safe Harbor principles, and SB 83, which would require school board trafficking policies and expand victim advocacy services to labor trafficking victims and survivors up to age 21. Committee members asked about reporting procedures, school use of the tools, service gaps, and whether the data showed increases due to better identification. The committee then heard from the Attorney General’s office on online child exploitation and child sexual abuse material. The presenter said the Louisiana ICAC Task Force received 31,203 tips in 2025, made 545 arrests, identified or rescued more than 80 child victims, and executed over 1,500 search warrants. He described rapid tip-to-arrest responses in recent cases, the expansion of partner agencies statewide, and the creation of an Orleans Metro ICAC task force. Members asked about community presentations, the role of social media in exploitation, the use of geolocation, the prosecution of out-of-state offenders, and the need for more analysts and outreach staff. The discussion also covered sadistic online enticement, sextortion, live-streamed abuse, and the need for parents and schools to monitor children’s online activity. At the end of the meeting, the committee began receiving a legislative auditor’s presentation on the treatment and care of incarcerated women, focusing on jail policies, health care, restraint use, and reentry, but the transcript cuts off before that presentation is completed. No committee votes or formal actions were recorded in the portion provided.