23.0876.01000
Sixty-eighth
Legislative Assembly SENATE BILL NO. 2257
of North Dakota
Introduced by
Senators Clemens, Myrdal
Representatives Satrom, Schneider, Strinden
1 A BILL for an Act to amend and reenact section 1 of chapter 398 of the 2019 Session Laws,
2 relating to a task force on prevention of sexual abuse of children; and to provide for a legislative
3 management report and a report to the governor.
4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF NORTH DAKOTA:
5 SECTION 1. AMENDMENT. Section 1 of chapter 398 of the 2019 Session Laws is
6 amended and reenacted as follows:
7 SECTION 1. TASK FORCE ON PREVENTION OF SEXUAL ABUSE OF
8 CHILDREN - REPORT TO THE LEGISLATIVE MANAGEMENT AND THE
9 GOVERNOR.
10 1. Beginning with the effective date of this Act and ending September 30,
11 2024June 30, 2025, the task force on the prevention of sexual abuse of children
12 is established to develop and implement a comprehensive statewide approach to
13 the prevention of child sexual abuse. The statewide approach must ensure
14 appropriate policies, funding, staffing, resources, and programming are available.
15 The task force shall build upon the efforts of the 2017-182021-22 North Dakota
16 task force on the prevention of sexual abuse of children.
17 2. The task force consists of the following members:
18 a. One member of the senate appointed by the majority leader of the senate,
19 one member of the house of representatives appointed by the majority
20 leader of the house of representatives, and one member of the minority
21 party appointed by the minority leaders of the senate and the house of
22 representatives;
23 b. The executive director of the department of health and human services, or
24 the executive director's designee;
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1 c. A representative of a children's advocacy center or similar organization that
2 assists in the investigation, prosecution, and treatment of child sexual and
3 physical abuse cases, appointed by the executive director of the department
4 of health and human services;
5 d. A representative of a domestic violence rape crisis center involved in the
6 prevention of child abuse or the treatment of child abuse victims, or both,
7 appointed by the executive director of the department of health and human
8 services;
9 e. The superintendent of public instruction, or the superintendent's designee;
10 f. A representative of law enforcement, appointed by the attorney general;
11 g. The executive director of the Indian affairs commission, or the executive
12 director's designee;
13 h. One school social worker from a public school district in the state, appointed
14 by the superintendent of public instruction;
15 i. Two school principals, one from an urban school district and one from a
16 rural school district in the state, appointed by the superintendent of public
17 instruction from a list provided by the North Dakota council of educational
18 leaders;
19 j. One member from the faith-based community, appointed by the attorney
20 general;
21 k. Two school counselors, one from an urban school district and one from a
22 rural school district in the state, appointed by the superintendent of public
23 instruction from a list provided by the North Dakota school counselors
24 association; and
25 l. Any other organization or individual the task force deems appropriate.
26 3. The executive director of the department of health and human services, or the
27 executive director's designee, shall convene the task force. The task force shall
28 elect a presiding officer by a majority vote of the membership of the task force.
29 The task force shall meet at the call of the presiding officer.
30 4. The task force shall focus on:
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1 a. Increasing child sexual abuse prevention education for tribal and nontribal
2 children and adults;
3 b. Increasing interagency data collection, sharing, and collective analysis;
4 c. Supporting resource development for investigations and prosecutions of
5 child sexual abuse, including the sentencing, supervision, and treatment of
6 sex offenders;
7 d. Increasing trauma-informed services for children, adult survivors, and
8 families; and
9 e. Implementing the remaining recommendations of the November 2018most
10 recent final report of the North Dakota task force on the prevention of child
11 sexual abuse.
12 5. The recommendations of the task force may include proposals for specific
13 statutory changes, actions the task force deems necessary and appropriate to
14 initiate awareness education of adults and children, and methods to foster
15 cooperation among state agencies and between the state and local governments
16 in adopting and implementing a policy addressing sexual abuse of children which
17 may include:
18 a. Developmentally appropriate resources for students in prekindergarten
19 through grade twelve;
20 b. Training for school personnel on child sexual abuse;
21 c. Educational information to parents or guardians provided in school
22 handbooks regarding the warning signs of a child being abused, along with
23 any needed assistance, referral, or resource information;
24 d. Available counseling and resources for students affected by sexual abuse;
25 e. Emotional and educational support for a child of abuse to continue to be
26 successful in school; and
27 f. Any other action deemed appropriate.
28 6. Before July first of each even-numbered year, the task force shall submit a report,
29 together with any findings and recommendations, to the legislative management
30 and the governor. Before July 1, 20242025, the task force shall submit a final
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1 report, together with any findings and recommendations, to the legislative
2 management and the governor.
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