(a) For purposes of this section, a “certifying entity” is any of the following:

(1) A state or local law enforcement agency, including, without limitation, the police department of the University of California, a California State University campus, or the police department of a school district, established pursuant to § 38000 of the Education Code.

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(2) A prosecutor.

(3) A judge.

(4) The Department of Industrial Relations.

(5) Any other state or local government agencies that have criminal, civil, or administrative investigative or prosecutorial authority relating to human trafficking.

(b) For purposes of this section, a “certifying official” is any of the following:

(1) The head of the certifying entity.

(2) A person in a supervisory role who has been specifically designated by the head of the certifying entity to issue Form I-914 Supplement B declarations on behalf of that agency.

(3) A judge.

(4) Any other certifying official defined under Section 214.14(a)(2) of Title 8 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

(c) “Human trafficking” has the same meaning as “severe forms of trafficking in persons” pursuant to Section 7102 of Title 22 of the United States Code and includes either of the following:

(1) Sex trafficking in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained 18 years of age.

(2) The recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery.

(d) “Human trafficking” also includes criminal offenses for which the nature and elements of the offenses are substantially similar to the criminal activity described in subdivision (c), and the attempt, conspiracy, or solicitation to commit any of those offenses.

(e) A “representative fully accredited by the United States Department of Justice” is a person who is approved by the United States Department of Justice to represent individuals before the Board of Immigration Appeals, the immigration courts, or the Department of Homeland Security. The representative shall be a person who works for a specific nonprofit, religious, charitable, social service, or similar organization that has been recognized by the United States Department of Justice to represent those individuals and whose accreditation is in good standing.

(f) (1) Upon the request of the victim, victim’s family member, licensed attorney representing the victim, or representative fully accredited by the United States Department of Justice authorized to represent the victim in immigration proceedings, a certifying official from a certifying entity shall certify victim cooperation on the Form I-914 Supplement B declaration, when the victim was a victim of human trafficking and has been cooperative, is being cooperative, or is likely to be cooperative to the investigation or prosecution of human trafficking. The certifying entity shall forward completed Form I-914 Supplemental B certification to the victim, victim’s family member, licensed attorney representing the victim, or representative fully accredited by the United States Department of Justice authorized to represent the victim in immigration proceedings without requiring the victim to provide government-issued identification.

(2) A victim who submits a Form I-914 Supplement B declaration to a certifying entity does not have to be present in the United States at time of submitting the certification request or filing the petition with the government and may apply for certification while outside of the United States.

(g) For purposes of determining cooperation pursuant to subdivision (f), there is a rebuttable presumption that a victim is cooperative, has been cooperative, or is likely to be cooperative to the investigation or prosecution of human trafficking, if the victim has not refused or failed to provide information and assistance reasonably requested by law enforcement. If the victim reasonably asserts they were unaware of a request for cooperation, their failure to cooperate does not rebut the presumption of helpfulness.

(h) The certifying official shall fully complete and sign the Form I-914 Supplement B declaration and, regarding victim cooperation, include specific details about the nature of the crime investigated or prosecuted and a detailed description of the victim’s cooperation or likely cooperation to the detection, investigation, or prosecution of the criminal activity.

(i) (1) A certifying entity shall process a Form I-914 Supplement B declaration within 30 days of request, unless the noncitizen is in removal proceedings, in which case the declaration shall be processed within 7 days of the first business day following the day the request was received.

(2) A certifying agency shall process a Form I-918 Supplement B certification within 7 days of the first business day following the day the request was received if the victim asserts a qualifying family member of the victim will lose eligibility for T nonimmigrant status in 60 days or fewer because the victim’s noncitizen sibling will turn 18 years of age, the victim’s noncitizen child will turn 21 years of age, or the victim will turn 21 years of age.

(j) (1) A current investigation, an apprehension of the suspect who committed the qualifying crime, the filing of charges, closing of a case, or a prosecution or conviction is not required for the victim to request and obtain the Form I-914 Supplement B declaration from a certifying official.

(2) A certifying official shall not refuse to complete the Form I-914 Supplement B declaration and provide it to the victim, the victim’s family member, licensed attorney representing the victim, or representative fully accredited by the United States Department of Justice authorized to represent the victim in immigration proceedings or to otherwise certify that a victim has been helpful, solely because a case has already been prosecuted or otherwise closed, or because the time for commencing a criminal action has expired.

(3) A certifying entity shall not refuse to complete the Form I-914 Supplement B declaration for any of the following reasons:

(A) The victim’s criminal history information.

(B) The victim’s immigration history.

(C) The victim’s gang membership or gang affiliation.

(D) The certifying entity’s belief that the Form I-914 Supplement B petition will not be approved by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.

(E) The victim has an open case with another certifying entity.

(F) The certifying entity’s belief that the victim is eligible for relief or protection under Section 679.10 or any other provision of law.

(G) The victim’s inability to produce a crime report from a law enforcement agency.

(H) The victim’s cooperation or refusal to cooperate in a separate case.

(k) A certifying official may only withdraw the certification if the victim refuses to provide information and assistance when reasonably requested.

(l) A certifying entity is prohibited from disclosing the immigration status of a victim or person requesting the Form I-914 Supplement B declaration, except to comply with federal law or legal process, or if authorized by the victim or person requesting the Form I-914 Supplement B declaration.

(m) A certifying entity that receives a request for a Form I-914 Supplement B declaration shall report to the Legislature, on or before January 1, 2018, and annually thereafter, the number of victims who requested Form I-914 Supplement B declarations from the entity, the number of those declaration forms that were signed, and the number that were denied. A report pursuant to this subdivision shall comply with § 9795 of the Government Code.

(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 679, Sec. 2. (AB 1261) Effective January 1, 2024.)