HARRISBURG – Bipartisanship was on full display this week, as the PA House unanimously passed a bill that would mandate human trafficking awareness training for Pennsylvania workers in the hospitality industry.
House Bill 1286 is written to amend Act 197 of 2012 (the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline Notification Act). The amendments include new training requirements for all employees of “public lodging establishments.”
Rep. Regina Young, D-Philadelphia/Delaware, the bill’s author, says many parts of Pennsylvania are prime locations for traffickers.
“With our proximity to major interstate highways and international transportation hubs, (we) are unfortunate hotbeds for this evil practice,” said Young.
“Front desk and housekeeping staff are some of the most engaged employees with guests, so they should be educated to recognize and report suspected trafficking. This bill also encompasses online reservation services to account for their specific set of warning signs as a popular and easy option to bypass face-to-face interaction,” added Young. “It’s not just hotels and motels – it’s also inclusive of short-term rental operators.”
The bill’s co-sponsor, Rep. Eric Nelson, R-Westmoreland, shared his excitement that the bill has cleared the house.