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HB 277

An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in human trafficking, further providing for civil causes of action.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Mike Armanini and 41 co-sponsors

HB 277 expands civil legal remedies for human trafficking victims in Pennsylvania, enabling them to pursue damages through civil courts alongside criminal prosecution.

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Bill Summary · HB 277

Legislative bill overview

HB 277 amends Pennsylvania's criminal code to expand civil causes of action related to human trafficking. The bill allows victims and potentially other parties to pursue civil remedies against traffickers and potentially those who facilitate trafficking. This creates an additional legal pathway for compensation and accountability beyond criminal prosecution.

Why is this important

Human trafficking is a severe crime that causes profound harm to victims, yet criminal convictions alone don't always provide financial restitution or civil remedies. This bill gives trafficking victims additional legal tools to recover damages directly through civil courts, improving their access to compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and other harms. It also may deter trafficking by increasing financial liability for perpetrators.

Potential points of contention

  • Scope of liability: Questions about who can be held civilly responsible (direct traffickers only, or businesses/entities that knowingly benefit from trafficking?) and how broadly "facilitation" is defined
  • Burden of proof: Civil cases require a lower standard of proof than criminal cases ("preponderance of evidence" vs. "beyond reasonable doubt"), which could be viewed as protective of victims or as potentially problematic depending on how claims are structured
  • Defendant identification challenges: Victims may struggle to identify and sue individual traffickers, particularly in organized trafficking networks, limiting the practical utility for some victims

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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