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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2025 - 2026
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | December 12, 2024 09:54 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Regina G. Young and Rep. Eric R. Nelson, Rep. Tarik Khan, Rep. Robert Leadbeter |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Human Trafficking Awareness Training (Former HB2455) |
| Human trafficking is an evil practice that occurs across the country, including in Pennsylvania. In 2023, the National Human Trafficking Hotline identified 220 cases of human trafficking in Pennsylvania, involving 469 victims. Some of the most common venues where human trafficking, specifically sex trafficking, took place were hotels, motels, and short-term lodging rentals. With the frequency of sex trafficking increasing in recent decades, it is important that employees of these establishments are prepared to identify and respond to suspected human trafficking as it occurs. This bill, which was developed with best practices from our Pennsylvania employers and is in concert with the industry’s national training model to help combat sex crime, would require hotels, motels, and third-party listing platforms to provide training to each employee and rental operator regarding what human trafficking is, how to identify the signs of trafficking, and how to respond if suspected trafficking is taking place. Employers would be required to maintain training records, which would be made available upon request to law enforcement or the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. Victims may be forced to stay at a hotel or motel or be sent to the rooms of customers where they are subjected to the terrible crime that is sex trafficking. Employees of these establishments regularly interact with guests and so can play an important role in identifying and reporting sex trafficking as it occurs. By providing employees with this essential training, we can help put a stop to human trafficking across Pennsylvania and ensure that victims receive relief and justice. Please join us in helping to combat the growing problem of sex trafficking by partnering with our restaurant and lodging industry to implement required awareness training for hotel employees. Previous Co-Sponsors: Giral, Hill-Evans, Kutz, Probst, Sanchez, Zimmerman, Merski, Conklin, Mayes, Boyd, Jones, Shusterman, Madsen, N. Nelson, Isaacson, Webster, Prokopiak, Waxman, Kenyatta, Staats, Pielli, Brennan, Guenst, Daley, Burgos, Jozwiak, Steele, Cepeda-Freytiz, Kazeem, Cook, Roae, Gillen, O'Mara, Struzzi, Green, Curry, and Scott. |
Memo Updated: December 12, 2024 09:59 AM