H.B. 2038 Summary

• Establishes a Human Trafficking Victim Services Fund administered by the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to support programs and services for human trafficking victims

• Requires courts to impose fees on individuals convicted of labor trafficking crimes (part VIII of chapter 707) or prostitution-related offenses (part I of chapter 712), ranging from $250 for petty misdemeanors to $5,000 for class A felonies

• Directs all fees collected and accrued interest to be deposited into the Human Trafficking Victim Services Fund for new or existing victim support programs without replacing existing allocations

• Establishes payment priority when defendants owe multiple court-ordered payments, placing the human trafficking victim services fee after restitution, crime victim compensation, and probation fees but before other fees and fines

• Requires the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to submit an annual report to the legislature accounting for fund receipts and expenditures, and providing recommendations for improving services to trafficking victims