Pennsylvania House Committee Advances Six Bills Targeting Child Sex Trafficking

HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA — The Pennsylvania House Judiciary Committee voted Monday to advance six bills aimed at strengthening protections for child victims of human trafficking and imposing harsher penalties on those who exploit infants.

The legislative action comes approximately one month after House and Senate lawmakers established a bipartisan caucus dedicated to combating human trafficking throughout Pennsylvania. The caucus formation followed concerning statistics and poor evaluations from national anti-trafficking organizations.

Enhanced Penalties for Infant Trafficking

Rep. Donna Scheuren (R-Montgomery) sponsored House Bill 910, which addresses a significant gap in current state law. Under existing statutes, trafficking infants carries only a first-degree misdemeanor charge, while Scheuren’s legislation would elevate the penalty to a first-degree felony.

“Infants, of course, are incapable of being forced to engage in labor or service,” Scheuren explained during Monday’s committee meeting. Current criminal code includes enhanced first-degree felony charges for human trafficking involving forced labor when victims are under 18, but this protection does not extend to infant cases due to their inability to perform labor.

The proposed legislation would make the enhanced felony charge applicable when victims are one year old or younger, while including specific exclusions for legal surrogacy and adoption procedures.

Committee Vote and Legislative Support

House Bill 910 passed the committee by a 25-1 margin, with Rep. Chris Rabb (D-Philadelphia) casting the sole dissenting vote. The overwhelming support demonstrates broad bipartisan backing for stronger anti-trafficking measures.

“This action would not only solidify Pennsylvania’s commitment to bring down human traffickers,” Scheuren said, “But it would also show strong resolve in the mission of our bicameral, bipartisan anti-human trafficking caucus that was newly formed here in Harrisburg last month.”

Comprehensive Anti-Trafficking Initiative

The committee’s actions are part of a broader legislative package consisting of six bills designed to improve protection for child trafficking victims. The measures advance following the recent establishment of the bipartisan anti-human trafficking caucus, which cited troubling statistics about trafficking in Pennsylvania.

National anti-trafficking groups have previously given Pennsylvania poor grades for its efforts to combat human trafficking, contributing to lawmakers’ decision to form the dedicated caucus and pursue comprehensive legislative reforms.

The bills will now proceed to the full House for consideration as part of Pennsylvania’s expanded effort to address human trafficking through enhanced criminal penalties and improved victim protections.