Human Trafficking Package Advances in the House

What happened:  The Pennsylvania House Judiciary Committee advanced a package of six bills strengthening protections for child trafficking victims and increasing penalties for traffickers. The package includes:

• HB 910 elevates trafficking of infants to a first-degree felony, closing a gap in current law. Passed 25-1.
  • HB 1616 grants minor trafficking victims immunity from prosecution for non-violent offenses stemming from their exploitation. Passed unanimously.
  • HB 2243 extends similar protections and requires referral of sexually exploited children to specialized social services. Passed unanimously.
  • HB 2252 creates a first-degree misdemeanor for sharing intimate or AI-generated images without consent. Passed unanimously.
  • HB 2443 imposes fines of $250 to $1,000 on those convicted of offenses against children to fund child advocacy centers. Passed 25-1.
  • HB 2474 adds distribution of child sexual abuse material to mandatory reporter obligations. Passed unanimously.

Why it matters:  This package has direct implications for nonprofits providing child welfare services, victim services, forensic interviews, and emergency shelter. HB 2243’s referral requirement directs sexually exploited children to “specialized social services” — in practice, nonprofit organizations. HB 2443’s fine-based mechanism would direct new revenue to child advocacy centers, many of which are nonprofits. The near-unanimous committee votes signal strong legislative momentum.

Where things stand:  All six bills advance to the full House. Organizations providing child welfare or victim services should track these bills and prepare for changes in referral requirements and mandatory reporting obligations. PANO will share updates as the bills move forward.