In sex trafficking and missing and abducted children, further providing for county responsibilities; and making an editorial change.
Impact
The impact of HB2100 is significant as it mandates a more structured response to the issues of sex trafficking and missing children by county agencies. With the requirement for detailed annual reporting, local governments will be held accountable for collecting and submitting critical data that can help in addressing and combating these issues more effectively. Law enforcement agencies will also play a crucial role as they are required to enter data about missing children into the National Crime Information Center database, thus enhancing cooperation and information sharing among different jurisdictions.
Summary
House Bill 2100 amends Title 23 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes concerning sex trafficking and the responsibilities of counties regarding missing and abducted children. This bill aims to enhance the accountability of county agencies by requiring them to report annually to the state department on the total number of children identified as victims of sex trafficking, those reported missing, and those screened for potential trafficking victimization. Emphasizing the importance of data collection, these reports will also include details on whether missing children have been located, fostering better tracking of cases across the state.
Sentiment
The sentiment surrounding HB2100 appears to be supportive, particularly from child advocacy groups and lawmakers focused on enhancing child welfare. The bill addresses crucial gaps in existing legislation related to child safety and trafficking, reflecting a growing concern for these issues within the state. However, some concerns may arise regarding the administrative burden placed on county agencies to comply with these new reporting requirements, raising questions about resources and capacity.
Contention
While the bill does not seem to face overt opposition, potential contention may arise from the implementation aspects, particularly concerning how county agencies will manage the additional workload of compliance with the new reporting standards. Furthermore, discussions may emerge regarding the adequacy of resources provided to local agencies to handle the increased responsibilities and whether this legislative change will lead to tangible improvements in the tracking and prevention of child trafficking cases.
In human trafficking, further providing for definitions, for victim protection during prosecution and for safe harbor for sexually exploited children; in sex trafficking and missing and abducted children, further providing for county responsibilities; in juvenile matters, further providing for dependency in lieu of delinquency; and making an editorial change.
In human trafficking, further providing for definitions, for victim protection during prosecution and for safe harbor for sexually exploited children; in sex trafficking and missing and abducted children, further providing for county responsibilities; in juvenile matters, further providing for dependency in lieu of delinquency; and making an editorial change.
In human trafficking, further providing for civil causes of action; in minors, further providing for sexual abuse of children; in computer offenses, further providing for definitions, for duty of Internet service provider and for application for order to remove or disable items; in child protective services, further providing for Task Force on Child Pornography; in recidivism risk reduction incentive, further providing for definitions; in Nonnarcotic Medication Assisted Substance Abuse Treatment Grant Pilot Program, further providing for definitions; in Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole, further providing for short sentence parole; and making an editorial change.
In sexual offenses, further providing for the offense of unlawful dissemination of intimate image; in minors, further providing for the offense of sexual abuse of children and for the offense of transmission of sexually explicit images by minor; and making editorial changes to replace references to the term "child pornography" with references to the term "child sexual abuse material."