Share:
House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | February 10, 2014 02:00 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Joseph T. Hackett |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Increasing Grading for Trafficking of Infants |
| It recently has come to my attention that while Pennsylvania law rightfully criminalizes the trafficking of infants, that crime shockingly is punished only as a misdemeanor. I intend to introduce a bill that will classify the trading, bartering, buying, selling, or dealing in infant children as the felony it most certainly should be. In 2006, the legislature amended our Crimes Code to create the offense of “trafficking of persons”. Under current law, an individual who engages in human trafficking by recruiting, harboring, transporting or providing persons to engage in “forced labor or services” may be charged with a felony of the second degree; or, if the victim was under 18, a felony of the first degree. Infants, of course, are incapable of being forced to engage in labor or services, so would not be subject to the enhanced felony of the first degree grading for the human trafficking of minors. I believe those who traffic in infants should be subject to that same felony of the first degree grading. My legislation will amend Title 18 to build on Pennsylvania’s commitment to respond to the human tragedy that is brought about by human trafficking. I hope you will join me in sponsoring this legislation. Please contact Kevin Andrews in my office (kandrews@pahousegop.com) if you have any questions. |
Introduced as HB2088