HARRISBURG, September 25, 2012 – State Sen. Daylin Leach (D-Montgomery/Delaware) today teamed up with other lawmakers and advocates at a press conference to urge the passage of legislation aimed at ending the practice of human trafficking in Pennsylvania.
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“We’ve been waiting for this legislation to pass for far too long, and the time to act is now,” Leach said. “S.B. 338, along with the bills proposed by my esteemed colleagues, would save lives and bring criminal perpetrators to justice. I urge the General Assembly to bring these important bills up for consideration as soon as possible.”
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Under S.B. 338/H.B. 235, the Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline number must be placed prominently in certain establishments and locations. The bill has gained support from Polaris Project, Women’s Way, the Tavern Association, the Tourism & Lodging Association, the Philadelphia Bar Association and dozens of state lawmakers.
S.B. 1587 would more clearly define human trafficking and increase fines and penalties for perpetrators found guilty of the crime. The bill would implement participation in the national human trafficking hotline, create the Pennsylvania Council for the Prevention of Human Trafficking, increase training for first responders and expand the resources available to victim service providers.
Leach was joined at the event by Sen. Stewart Greenleaf (R-Bucks/Montgomery), the prime sponsor of S.B. 1587; Rep. Paul Clymer (R-Bucks), the sponsor of H.B. 235; Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks); Cumberland County District Attorney David J. Freed; Polaris Project’s Policy Counsel James Dold; Joint State Government Commission Public Policy Analyst Ted Herman; PA Coalition Against Rape (PCAR) Criminal Justice Specialist Krista Hoffman; Covenant House PA’s Assistant Executive Director Hugh Organ; and Katherine Lewis, the WOMEN’S WAY Coordinator of Advocacy & Outreach.
Greenleaf noted, “It is unconscionable that modern day slavery exists in the United States. This legislation will send a clear message to perpetrators that Pennsylvania is working hard to fight this crime within our borders. I would like to thank the members of the Joint State Government Commission advisory committee for their hard work on this issue. I also thank the Polaris Project for their efforts to raise awareness and educate the public about human trafficking.”
Polaris Project’s James Dold added, “There are more people held in slavery today than ever before in the history of our world. Just this morning we received the 60,000th call to our hotline number. We have identified more than 7,000 victims of human trafficking in the United States since 2008. This is an issue that is real and this is a bill that will literally save lives. It is absolutely essential that this bill is passed here in Pennsylvania.”
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