HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania lawmakers are considering a mandate that would require hotels, motels, and online lodging platforms to train frontline workers to spot and report human trafficking.
At a Thursday hearing of the House Tourism, Recreation and Economic Development Committee, Rep. Regina Young, D-Phila./Delaware, said, “Since I’ve been a legislator, I’ve been working to end human trafficking… It’s an unfortunate evil that lurks in our region because of easy access to interstate and international transportation hubs. The heartfelt testimony we heard today confirms the need to train hotel, motel and other lodging employees to be aware of the warning signs and report them. We can end human trafficking through education and speaking up for these most vulnerable victims.”
House Bill 1286 would make trafficking awareness training mandatory across the hospitality sector, including online reservation companies. Advocates told lawmakers that hotels and motels remain frequent venues for exploitation and that equipping workers to recognize red flags can speed interventions.
“Shea Rhodes, director of the Villanova Law Institute to Address Commercial Sexual Exploitation, called the proposal “long overdue,” adding: “House Bill 1286, which mandates training for all hotel and public lodging establishments, is long overdue. Passing this much-needed legislation into law would be common-sense law reform. Our commonwealth needs to re-establish its position as a leading jurisdiction in the fight against human trafficking. Hotels and the hospitality industry must be an ally in the fight against all forms of human trafficking and exploitation.”
Survivor testimony underscored the stakes. “As a survivor, advocate and founder of Redeemed for a Cause Outreach… I know firsthand the devastating impact of human trafficking in overlooked spaces like hotels, motels and transit hubs,” said Dr. Sakinah L. Love. “At Redeemed for a Cause Outreach, we meet victims and survivors in the spaces where exploitation is most likely to occur… This proximity gives us a unique lens on the urgent need for prevention and early intervention.”
Committee Chair Mary Jo Daley, D-Montgomery, said, “The more people who become trained to spot human trafficking, the more victims we can identify and help… Human trafficking is a major violation of human rights, exploits the vulnerable and has no place in society.”
The Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts reported 1,235 trafficking offenses across 366 cases between 2020 and 2024. The National Human Trafficking Hotline has identified more than 4,800 trafficking victims in Pennsylvania since 2007, with over 600 contacts in 2023; sex trafficking accounted for 142 cases, largely in residence-based venues. Supporters of the bill argue mandatory training can turn those numbers by catching warning signs earlier and connecting victims to services.
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