Senate Republicans continue to advance efforts to improve community safety across Pennsylvania.
HARRISBURG – Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward (R-39) voted to continue to advance efforts to improve community safety across Pennsylvania by expanding Megan’s Law to ensure that human traffickers will not escape the full rigors of the law based on technicalities.
“With Biden’s open border policy, the United States has become a breeding ground for human trafficking,” said Ward. “With this in mind, we need to take additional steps to ensure we keep our communities safe and serve as advocates for these victims by immediately registering offenders when trafficking incidents are reported.”
Senate Bill 1111, sponsored by Sens. Lisa Baker (R-20) and Gene Yaw (R-23), expands on Ward’s first of its kind in the nation legislation passed in 2022 by making two statutory modifications to ensure the Sexual Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), commonly known as Megan’s Law, will be uniformly applied to individuals convicted of Act 144 (sexual offenses and tier system).
“Human trafficking is a global business generating $150 billion in illegal profits,” said Ward. “With the absence of a secure border, human trafficking is on the rise, and we must do all we can to make sure our children and communities across Pennsylvania are protected.”
The legislation will clarify that an individual who is convicted of an attempt, conspiracy, or solicitation to commit an Act 144 offense will similarly be required to register under SORNA, just as a person convicted of the underlying human trafficking offense currently is. The bill would also clarify that those individuals convicted of an Act 144 offense are to undergo the sexually violent predator assessment with the Sexual Offender Assessment Board, an assessment that is required of any person who commits a Megan’s Law offense in the Commonwealth.
“The Coalition Against Trafficking in Women estimated that 60% of unaccompanied alien children (UAC) are caught by cartels and exploited through child pornography and drug trafficking,” said Ward. “On average, more than 12,000 UACs were entering the nation monthly in 2023 and the dramatic increase can be traced directly to the Biden administration’s open border policies.”
The Senate voted in favor of the bill 49-0, which now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration.
Contact: Erica Clayton Wright, (412) 334-4856