Resolution 251004

..Title Calling on the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to take swift and decisive action to pass House Bill 1286 as an effective measure to combat human trafficking in Pennsylvania. ..Body WHEREAS, Human trafficking remains a pervasive crime that exploits vulnerable people, especially women and children, through force, fraud, and coercion; and WHEREAS, The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has an ongoing responsibility to strengthen points of detection, intervention, and reporting anywhere victims may be encountered; and WHEREAS, Representative Young introduced House Bill 1286 on April 22, 2025, to amend the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline Notification Act (Act 197 of 2012) to expand its reach and modernize its enforcement mechanisms; and WHEREAS, HB 1286 would require public lodging establishments, including hotels, motels, inns, and similar entities with more than 10 rooms, to ensure that employees and contract workers who interact with guests or have access to guest rooms complete human trafficking awareness training within 90 days, and to maintain records of that training for inspection by law enforcement or licensing authorities; and WHEREAS, HB 1286 also recognizes that trafficking can occur in short-term rental settings and therefore directs third-party listing platforms to ensure that rental operators using their platforms complete the same type of trafficking awareness training, with clear timelines, documentation, and record-retention requirements; and WHEREAS, HB 1286 pairs these new training requirements with an enforcement structure that begins with a warning and a 90-day cure period, and only then escalates to administrative penalties and, for ongoing noncompliance, potential license suspension-thereby balancing the Commonwealth's interest in protecting trafficking victims with fair and predictable compliance pathways for businesses; and WHEREAS, The House Tourism, Recreation and Economic Development Committee reported HB 1286 from committee with a favorable recommendation unanimously-demonstrating bipartisan agreement that human trafficking prevention in establishments that routinely encounter the traveling public is not a partisan issue, but a public safety, victim-protection, and moral issue; and WHEREAS, Recognizing that statewide efforts must be reinforced by local action and collaboration, the City Council of Philadelphia has a vested interest in aligning the City's anti-trafficking initiatives with the Commonwealth's broader legislative and policy momentum; and WHEREAS, As a result of Councilmember Ahmad's advocacy, the City Council of Philadelphia allocated $500,000 in the Fiscal Year 2026 Operating Budget to launch a human trafficking campaign in the City of Philadelphia; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Hereby commends Representative Young for introducing House Bill 1286 and for advancing a practical, prevention-focused, and victim-aware update to Pennsylvania's human trafficking framework. FURTHER RESOLVED, That we recognize and applaud the House Tourism, Recreation and Economic Development Committee for reporting HB 1286 unanimously with a favorable recommendation, signaling that the bill is ready for prompt consideration by the full General Assembly. FINALLY RESOLVED, That we call on the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to take swift and decisive action to pass House Bill 1286. ..End