The bill aims to strengthen the prevention and response to human trafficking in Washington State by introducing new legal provisions and amending existing laws. It establishes that business entities can be held criminally liable for human trafficking offenses if they knowingly engage in such conduct or if their employees or agents do so as part of a pattern of activity that benefits the entity. The bill outlines significant penalties for these entities, including fines up to $1,000,000, disgorgement of profits, and potential debarment from government contracts. Additionally, it mandates that law enforcement maintain the confidentiality of victims' identities and images during investigations and prosecutions related to human trafficking.

Moreover, the bill amends existing laws to enhance the protection of victims' information, particularly for child victims of sexual assault or commercial sexual exploitation. It specifies that the identity and images of victims and their families must remain confidential, with limited exceptions for necessary disclosures. The bill also introduces amendments to the certification process for victims of criminal activity and trafficking, stipulating that a certifying agency can only withdraw a victim's certification under specific conditions. It requires agencies to develop language access protocols for limited English proficient and deaf or hard of hearing victims, mandates timely reissuance of certifications, and prohibits the disclosure of personal identifying information unless legally required. Lastly, the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission is tasked with developing training standards related to U and T nonimmigrant visas and best practices for assisting immigrant crime victims.

Statutes affected:
Substitute bill: 7.98.020