PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania—State legislators and leaders from the hospitality {industry} convened to induce passage of Home Invoice 1286, which might require short-term rental operators—along with motels and different lodging institutions—throughout Pennsylvania to supply human trafficking consciousness coaching to staff. The laws, launched by State Consultant Regina Younger (D-HD185) and co-sponsored by Representatives Robert Leadbeter, Eric Nelson, and Tarik Khan, is presently pending earlier than the Pennsylvania Common Meeting.
The invoice introduces new human trafficking prevention and security measures for Pennsylvania’s whole hospitality {industry}, making use of the identical requirements to short-term leases as to motels. Geared toward enhancing worker and visitor safety, the laws would create uniform coaching necessities throughout the Commonwealth. Below this proposal, all public lodging institutions—together with motels and short-term rental operators—can be required to coach for workers on the best way to determine and report suspected human trafficking to make sure that all lodging professionals are knowledgeable and ready to acknowledge and report warning indicators.
Elected officers on the occasion included Invoice Sponsor State Consultant Younger, State Senator Anthony Williams (D-SD08), State Consultant Robert Leadbeter (R-HD109), and State Consultant Tarik Khan (D-HD194). They have been joined by Steve Bannar of the Delaware County Felony Investigation Division; Kevin Carey, president and chief government officer of the American Resort and Lodging Affiliation (AHLA) Basis; Joe Massaro, president and chief government officer of the Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Affiliation; Sakinah Love, government director of Redeemed For A Trigger; and regional hospitality and tourism leaders from Go to Philly, Go to Delco, and Philadelphia Soccer 2026.
Advocacy Statements
“Human trafficking is an evil apply that occurs all throughout the nation, and Pennsylvania is just not proof against it. Resort and service-industry employees are typically on the entrance strains of witnessing the crime and are liable to being victimized themselves. With the Philadelphia Airport positioned in my district and main interstate routes passing by means of our area, trafficking is particularly pervasive right here,” mentioned State Consultant Regina Younger. “We additionally wish to deliver into this dialogue on-line reservation platforms for long- and short-term lodging, as they’re the fashionable commonplace for reservations, permitting simpler trafficking by means of bypassing precise human interplay. Ensuring lodging associates are skilled to know what human trafficking may be is an important step in figuring out and reporting these being trafficked. We should do all we will to finish this heinous crime.”
“Human trafficking is a contemporary type of slavery, and I’m proud to work with Consultant Younger and a bipartisan group of lawmakers to assist finish this despicable apply right here in Pennsylvania,” echoed State Consultant Tarik Khan. “Our laws trains resort and hospitality employees to determine pink flags of human trafficking to allow them to assist rescue victims. Our invoice will save lives.”
“The Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Affiliation strongly helps Home Invoice 1286 and commends Consultant Younger for championing this crucial concern. The resort {industry} has lengthy been proactive in combating human trafficking, with nearly all of resort properties already coaching their employees to acknowledge and report indicators of trafficking,” mentioned Joe Massaro, president and chief government officer of the Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Affiliation. “H.B. 1286 builds on that dedication by increasing consciousness and accountability to all lodging suppliers, together with short-term leases. We should confront human trafficking in each type, and this laws represents a significant step ahead in defending weak people throughout Pennsylvania.”
“Human trafficking prevention coaching has lengthy been commonplace apply at many Pennsylvania motels, and our {industry} has led the way in which in setting that bar,” mentioned Kevin Carey, president and chief government officer of the American Resort & Lodging Affiliation Basis and chief working officer of the American Resort & Lodging Affiliation. “We welcome this laws as a option to lengthen those self same protections to all lodging company throughout the Commonwealth, guaranteeing that everybody within the journey ecosystem is aligned within the struggle in opposition to this crime.”
“This invoice is a crucial step towards holding each lodging supplier—motels and short-term leases alike—to the identical excessive commonplace of security and vigilance,” mentioned Rosanna Maietta, president and chief government officer of the American Resort & Lodging Affiliation. “We thank Consultant Younger and the invoice’s cosponsors for his or her management in ensuring these protections are utilized persistently throughout Pennsylvania, and for recognizing the significance of industry-wide motion to guard each company and staff. “
“As a survivor and advocate, and because the founding father of Redeemed for a Trigger Outreach, a nonprofit group supporting survivors of human trafficking and exploitation, I do know firsthand how important it’s for resort and repair {industry} employees to be outfitted to acknowledge and reply to the indicators of trafficking,” mentioned Sakinah Love, government director of Redeemed for a Trigger. “H.B. 1286 is a mandatory step towards prevention and safety—empowering frontline employees to disrupt exploitation earlier than it escalates. Coaching saves lives, and this laws brings us one step nearer to a safer, extra knowledgeable Pennsylvania.”
