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HF 801

A bill for an act relating to screening children for commercial sexual exploitation in certain circumstances.

2025-2026 Regular Session

The bill requires standardized, trauma-informed screening for commercial sexual exploitation of children in juvenile delinquency cases and in certain child abuse investigations.

Referred to Health and Human Services.
#children #sexualexploitation
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Bill Summary · HF 801

Summary of HF 801 (Introduced March 5, 2025)

Purpose and Intent

HF 801 is a Minnesota-based bill that addresses screening children for commercial sexual exploitation in two child-serving contexts. The core aim is to identify exploitation early in cases involving alleged delinquent acts or alleged child abuse, using standardized, evidence-based, trauma-informed screening tools.

Key Provisions

  • Definition of Exploitation

    • The bill encompasses scenarios where a child is offered or given money, goods, or services, or the promise of money, goods, or services, as part of exploitation.

  • Screening in Delinquency Proceedings

    • When the juvenile court receives a complaint alleging that the child committed a delinquent act, the court or the court’s designee must order the child to be screened for exploitation.
    • Screening must use a standardized, evidence-based, trauma-informed screening tool.

  • Screening in Child Abuse Cases (HHS role)

    • The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must screen a child for exploitation using a standardized, evidence-based, trauma-informed screening tool if HHS determines that a report alleging child abuse constitutes a child abuse allegation.

Who is Affected

  • Children involved in juvenile court proceedings for alleged delinquent acts.
  • Children whose abuse reports are evaluated by HHS as constituting child abuse allegations.
  • Court personnel (juvenile court and designees) and HHS staff responsible for performing the screenings.
  • Potentially, families and protective services workers who interact with identified children.

Implementation Details

  • Tools: Screening must rely on standardized, evidence-based, trauma-informed tools.
  • Settings: Conducted in juvenile court contexts (or by the court’s designee) and by HHS within child abuse investigations deemed to be child abuse allegations.

Procedural and Timeline Considerations

  • Status: Referred to Health and Human Services (April 3, 2025); Introduced March 5, 2025.
  • Specific deadlines or implementation timelines are not provided in the excerpt.
  • The bill outlines who must screen and under what circumstances but does not include explicit timelines for completing screenings.

Potential Impacts

  • Earlier identification of commercial sexual exploitation among youth in both delinquency and child welfare contexts.
  • Increased referrals to services, supports, or investigations based on screening results.
  • Potential impacts on case processing within the juvenile court and child protective services.
  • Need for training and resources to implement trauma-informed, evidence-based screening tools.

Next Steps

  • If advanced, the bill would proceed through committee hearings, potential amendments, and ultimately floor votes. Details on funding, training requirements, and specific tools would likely be addressed in later amendments or fiscal notes.

Note: This summary reflects the provisions contained in the introduced text provided and may be refined with the full bill language and any committee amendments.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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