The Overview
Next time you book a Pennsylvania hotel room or a short-term rental, the people handling your stay will soon be required to know the warning signs of human trafficking. Pennsylvania's Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro signed a law on July 20, 2026, amending the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline Notification Act to require human trafficking awareness training for employees of hotels, motels and inns with more than 10 rooms, and to require short-term rental platforms to ensure their rental operators complete it. The law covers every hotel, motel, or inn with more than 10 rooms and online platforms that list short-term rentals. Enforcement starts with a warning and 90 days to fix the problem, and a failure to cure leads to penalties of up to $250, then up to $500 with a possible license suspension of up to one year.
The National Human Trafficking Hotline identified nearly 700 Pennsylvania survivors in 2024, the highest single-year figure in that dataset since 2015, though the hotline cautions its figures reflect reported contacts rather than total prevalence. Multiple Philadelphia-area hotels faced lawsuits alleging they failed to prevent or respond to trafficking on their properties, including a $24 million settlement at a Northeast Philadelphia Days Inn.
The law requires owners, operators, or managers of public lodging establishments to ensure that employees with guest contact or room access complete training covering legal definitions, signs of trafficking, and reporting procedures, including State Police contact information. Third-party listing platforms must ensure each rental operator completes the same training before listing a property. Training is valid for two years; current workers have 90 days to complete it, new hires have 90 days from their start date, and new rental operators must train before listing.
The Debate
The House passed the bill 203 to 0 on Dec. 17, 2025. The Senate passed the Collett amendment to the bill on Apr. 20, with 47 yes votes recorded among 50 total votes.
Lead sponsor Regina G. Young told the *Delaware County Daily Times*: "Sex crimes and trafficking is growing nationwide. Pennsylvania is not immune." The Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association supported the bill; President and CEO Joe Massaro said: "Human trafficking has no place in Pennsylvania, and Pennsylvania's hospitality industry is proud to be part of the solution." No opposition was identified in the retrieved coverage.
What's Next
The law's principal requirements take effect approximately Jan. 16, 2027. The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) must approve free online or existing training courses that meet the bill's requirements, publish a list of approved courses, and consult with the Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association in doing so. The bill includes no upfront appropriation; its only identified funding mechanism directs at least 50 percent of collected penalties to PCCD for grants.
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