Bill > HB1286

This bill amends the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline Notification Act to expand definitions and introduce new training requirements aimed at combating human trafficking. It defines "public lodging establishment" as a hotel, motel, inn, or similar entity offering more than 10 rooms for temporary lodging, and introduces terms like "rental operator" for those managing short-term rentals (residential properties rented for less than 30 days) and "third-party listing platform" for online services used to advertise these rentals. The core provisions mandate that owners and operators of public lodging establishments must ensure their employees receive human trafficking awareness training, and similarly, third-party listing platforms must ensure rental operators using their services complete such training. This training must cover identifying at-risk individuals, recognizing signs of trafficking, understanding the differences between labor and sex trafficking in the lodging sector, and knowing how to report suspected cases, with contact information for law enforcement provided. The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency is tasked with approving free online training courses and publishing a list of approved programs. The bill also outlines enforcement mechanisms, including administrative and criminal penalties for violations, with escalating fines and potential license suspensions for repeated offenses, and specifies that a portion of collected penalties will be distributed to the Commission for grants.