Bill > HB1616

This bill amends Pennsylvania law to increase the penalty for dealing in infant children from a misdemeanor to a felony of the first degree, while clarifying that this offense does not apply to legal surrogacy or adoption, and defines an "infant child" as one year of age or younger. Additionally, it introduces new sentencing considerations for child victims who commit offenses, allowing courts, under specific circumstances and with clear and convincing evidence, to depart from mandatory sentences, impose guilt without penalty, transfer the case to juvenile court, or reduce fines and costs if the child's offense was a direct result of prohibited sexual conduct by the victim within the preceding year, or if the child acted under substantial emotional distress caused by that conduct, with exceptions for human trafficking and sexual offenses, and for victims who did not engage in prohibited sexual conduct.