York County News

Harrisburg, Pa. - Pennsylvania senators Maria Collett, Cris Dush, and Kristin Phillips-Hill are celebrating the final passage of their legislation aimed at protecting children who are victims of human trafficking. The bipartisan package of legislation, which has now been passed by the Pennsylvania Senate, aims to ensure that these children have access to justice and essential support services.

Under the current state law, minors who are exploited for commercial sex must identify their third-party perpetrator to be considered victims of human trafficking. The new legislation seeks to change this requirement, providing greater protection for these vulnerable children. Senator Dush emphasized the importance of continued efforts to combat human trafficking, stating, "We need to remain focused and continue to work to combat this worldwide crime against humanity."

One of the bills, Senate Bill 44 sponsored by Senator Dush, amends Titles 18 and 23 of the Pennsylvania criminal code to ensure that third-party control is never a consideration for access to victim services. This bill has now been passed by the Senate and awaits the Governor's signature. Senator Collett, the sponsor of Senate Bill 45, which eliminates the third-party control requirement to access victim services, expressed her satisfaction with the unanimous support from Senate colleagues and looks forward to the House completing these efforts.

The legislation also expands the authority of undercover law enforcement officers appearing as minors in Title 18. This allows them to pose as a third party selling a minor into sexual exploitation, providing them with greater means to investigate and prosecute these heinous crimes.

The senators' efforts come in response to the alarming number of human trafficking victims identified in Pennsylvania. In 2021 alone, 315 victims, including 42 minors, were identified through the National Human Trafficking Hotline. Pennsylvania ranked eighth in the nation in terms of signals sent to the hotline that year.

Acknowledging the significance of this legislation, Senator Phillips-Hill stated, "With this bill, we ensure that criminals are prosecuted and victims are able to get the critical support they need." By removing barriers to early interventions and providing victims with essential services such as counseling, legal assistance, housing supports, and childcare, these bills aim to give victims the tools they need to heal while justice is pursued.

The legislation will now move to the Governor's office for signature, marking an important step in Pennsylvania's ongoing fight against human trafficking and the protection of sexually exploited children.

Click this link to access more information: https://senatorkristin.com/2023/12/14/pa-legislature-approves-bill-to-protect-sexually-exploited-children-human-trafficking-victims/