SB 597: Human trafficking: victim confidentiality.

Existing law authorizes victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking to complete an application to be approved by the Secretary of State for the purpose of enabling state and local agencies to respond to requests for public records without disclosing a program participants residence address contained in any public record and otherwise provide for confidentiality of identity for that person, subject to specified conditions. Any person who makes a false statement in an application is guilty of a misdemeanor.

This bill would make this program available to a victim of human trafficking, as defined. The bill would also make the program available to household members, as defined, of a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking, excluding the perpetrator, if applicable. The bill would make additional conforming changes.

By including victims of human trafficking and specified household members of victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking, this bill would impose new duties on local public officials and expand the scope of an existing crime, thereby creating a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.