Pa. lawmakers announce caucus to fight human trafficking

This story was updated Wednesday, March 25, to add comment from Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration. 

State lawmakers have launched a bipartisan caucus focused on combatting human trafficking. 

The goal is to facilitate passing legislation to address the issue, according to a statement issued following a news conference to promote the eight-person panel. 

Listen to Emily’s audio recap: 

They pointed to statistics from the National Human Trafficking Hotline, which gets more reports from Pennsylvania than most other states.  

The commonwealth also flunked an analysis of its related laws and policies by advocacy organization Shared Hope International, noted Chair Sen. Cris Dush (R-Indiana). 

“Our intent is to start working together for an ‘A’ rating in dealing with these issues,” Dush said 

The lawmaker highlighted a handful of proposals with bipartisan support endorsed by the panel. 

His Senate Bill 45 would move prostitution statutes into the human trafficking section of the commonwealth’s crimes code, increasing penalties for facilitation and solicitation (not for survivors). Introduced last week, the measure also would divert any fines, fees and restitution to fund grants for anti-human trafficking efforts. 

“We’re moving it over into the human trafficking section, where it rightly belongs,” Dush explained. “So it gives the Attorney General now the ability to investigate. Whereas under public indecency, they didn’t have – they don’t have – the authority to do that.”

Forthcoming legislation from Rep. Danilo Burgos (D-Philadelphia) would standardize screening for survivors by healthcare providers across the state. That would include trauma-informed training and protocol for engaging referral services developed by the state Department of Health, according to Burgos.

HB1286 would require hospitality companies, like hotels, to train workers to recognize and report human trafficking. The bill awaits third consideration by the Senate after passing the House at the end of last year. 

Since then, it’s been changed so that third parties such as Vrbo or Airbnb can choose how users prove they’ve handled training; prior versions required the rental listing platforms to obtain documentation from operators. 

The Senate didn’t take up the measure – which got unanimous votes at each of the five stages so far – during voting sessions today or Monday. 

“Discussions are ongoing regarding the bill,” according to Sen. Majority Leader Joe Pittman’s communication director Kate Flessner. 

If it passes a floor vote, the proposal would go to the governor.

Shapiro’s administration “is aware of HB1286 and will continue to monitor the bill as it moves through the legislative process,” according to a spokesperson.

House Bill 910 would change state law to classify trafficking infants as a first-degree felony, has been stalled in the House Judiciary Committee for more than a year after being introduced by Rep. Donna Schueren (R-Montgomery). 

It’s unclear when Committee Chair Tim Briggs (D-Montgomery) will bring up the bill for discussion. His office didn’t respond to requests for comment.