SB 763 — Requiring children to be screened for sex trafficking upon entering foster care

WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION IntroducedCommittee Substitute for Senate Bill 763 ByBYSENATORCHAPMAN SenatorANW ChapmanOELFEL [Introduced[Reported February 5,18, 2026;2026, from the Committee on Health and Human Resources] CS for SB 763 A BILL to amend and reenact §49-2-106 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to requiring sex and labor trafficking screening;

referred to the Committee on Health and Human Resources] Intr SB 763 2026R3625 A BILL to amend and reenact §49-2-106 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to requiring all children placed into foster care to be screened for human trafficking upon entry into the foster care system.system;

requiring youth who are recovered after going missing to be screened;

requiring periodic screening;

requiring the use of an evidence-based tool;

and requiring treatment if sex or labor trafficking is indicated.

Department responsibility for foster care homes.homes;

department responsibility to conduct screening for sex and labor trafficking;

and department responsibility to provide treatment.

(b) EveryUpon first entry into the child welfare system, every child who is placed in foster carecare, kinship care, or a residential placement by the Department of Human Services shall be screened for sex or labor trafficking by a trained child advocate.

NOTE:(c) Youth who are recovered after going missing from a foster care, kinship care, or a residential placement, upon recovery, shall be screened for sex or labor trafficking by a trained advocate.

The(d) purposeEvery ofchild thisin billa isfoster tocare, requirekinship childrencare, toor a residential placement shall be periodically screened for sex traffickingor and labor traffickingtrafficking. as they enter foster care.

Strike-throughs(e) indicateAn languageevidence-based thattool wouldshall be strickenused fromwhen aconducting heading or the presentassessment. law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.

CS for SB 763 (f) If the assessment indicates the child has been the victim of sex or labor trafficking, the Department of Human Services shall immediately begin providing support services to the child consistent with funding permitted under Titles IV-E of the Social Security Act.