The Washington internet crimes against children account is created in the custody of the state treasurer. All receipts from legislative appropriations, donations, gifts, grants, and funds from federal or private sources must be deposited into the account. Expenditures from the account must be used exclusively by the Washington internet crimes against children task force and its affiliate agencies for combating internet-facilitated crimes against children, promoting education on internet safety to the public and to minors, and rescuing child victims from abuse and exploitation. Only the criminal justice training commission or the commission’s designee may authorize expenditures from the account. The account is subject to allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW, but an appropriation is not required for expenditures. The commission may enter into agreements with the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs to administer grants and other activities funded by the account and be paid an administrative fee not to exceed three percent of expenditures. During the 2019-2021 and 2021-2023 fiscal biennia, moneys in the account may be used by the Washington state patrol for activities related to the missing and exploited children task force.

Effective date—2022 c 297: See note following RCW 43.79.565.

Effective date—2019 c 415: See note following RCW 28B.20.476.

Findings—Intent—2015 c 84: “(1) The legislature finds that the internet crimes against children task force program, through the United States department of justice, helps state and local law enforcement agencies develop an effective response to technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation and internet crimes against children. This help encompasses forensic and investigative components, training and technical assistance, victim services, and community education. The program is a national network of sixty-one coordinated task forces representing over three thousand five hundred federal, state, and local law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies. In 2013, the program’s investigations contributed to the arrests of more than seven thousand four hundred individuals and task forces conducted over sixty thousand forensic examinations. Additionally, the program trained over thirty thousand law enforcement personnel, over three thousand five hundred prosecutors, and more than five thousand three hundred other professionals working in the program’s field.

(2) The legislature finds that there is a lack of dedicated state resources to combat internet-facilitated crimes against children. As a result, many of the cases involving internet-facilitated crimes are not adequately investigated. The legislature further finds that a minimum of fifteen full-time affiliate investigators and three forensic examiners are currently needed to just investigate the very worst of these cases in Washington. It is the intent of the legislature to create an account dedicated to combating internet-facilitated crimes against children, promoting education on internet safety to the public and to minors, and rescuing child victims from abuse and exploitation.” [ 2015 c 84 § 1.]