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HB 2243

An Act amending Titles 18 (Crimes and Offenses) and 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in human trafficking, further providing for safe harbor for sexually exploited children; and, in juvenile matters, repealing provisions relating to dependency in lieu of delinquency.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Heather Boyd and 15 co-sponsors

Strengthen safe harbor protections for sexually exploited minors and repeal dependency-in-lieu-of-delinquency provisions to prioritize services over juvenile punishment.

Referred to Judiciary
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 2243

Legislative Bill Summary — Pennsylvania HB 2243 (2025-2026)

Overview

HB 2243 is a Pennsylvania bill addressing two main areas within the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes:
1) Human trafficking, with a focus on safe harbor provisions for sexually exploited children (in Title 18: Crimes and Offenses).
2) Juvenile justice, specifically repealing provisions related to “dependency in lieu of delinquency” (in Title 42: Judiciary and Judicial Procedure).

The bill has multiple co-sponsors and has progressed through initial committee activity, with actions in 2026 indicating movement toward floor consideration.

  • Session: 2025-2026
  • Jurisdiction: Pennsylvania
  • Primary focus: Safe harbor improvements for sexually exploited minors; repeal of dependency-in-lieu-of-delinquency provisions
  • Sponsors: A broad bi-partisan group, including Carol Kazeem, Liz Hanbidge, John Inglis, Melissa Shusterman, Ed Neilson, La'Tasha Mayes, Mandy Steele, Joe Webster, Emily Kinkead, Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz, Ben Sanchez, Carol Hill-Evans, Nancy Guenst, Heather Boyd, Kristine Howard

1) Purpose and Intent

  • Strengthen protections for sexually exploited children by clarifying and expanding safe harbor provisions.
  • Reconsider and potentially phase out or repeal a practice or provision that allows or governs “dependency in lieu of delinquency” in juvenile cases, shifting how certain juveniles are treated in the dependency and delinquency continuum.

2) Key Provisions and Provisions-to-Impact

A. Safe Harbor for Sexually Exploited Children (Title 18)

  • The bill tightens and expands safe harbor protections for minors who are victims of sex trafficking or sexual exploitation.
  • Objectives typically found in such provisions include:
    • Treating sexually exploited minors as victims rather than offenders in most circumstances.
    • Providing access to services, treatment, and alternatives to juvenile delinquency adjudication.
    • Limiting or prohibiting arrest, charging, prosecution, or detention for status offenses or exploitation-related acts by minors.
    • Ensuring that law enforcement, prosecutors, and courts coordinate with child welfare and service providers to connect victims with protective services.
  • The changes would likely specify procedures for reporting, investigating, and handling cases involving exploited children, with an emphasis on trauma-informed approaches and access to housing, counseling, medical care, and educational supports.

B. Dependency in Lieu of Delinquency (Title 42)

  • Repeal of provisions related to “dependency in lieu of delinquency.”
  • The repeal would remove or modify statutes that allowed a juvenile who might otherwise be subject to delinquency proceedings to be placed under dependency jurisdiction in lieu of delinquency processes.
  • Possible outcomes:
    • Redirecting such cases toward alternatives focused on child welfare (dependency proceedings) without triggering delinquency adjudication.
    • Shifting the framework for certain youths to ensure access to services rather than punitive juvenile justice outcomes.
    • Revisions to intake, adjudication, and disposition processes for juveniles that would previously rely on dependency-in-lieu provisions.

3) Affected Parties and Impacts

  • Juveniles who are victims or at risk of exploitation (sexually exploited minors) would benefit from stronger safe harbor protections, including victim-centered treatment and access to services.
  • Law enforcement, prosecutors, and the judiciary would see changes in how trafficking- and exploitation-related cases are processed, with a greater emphasis on victim identification and referral to services rather than criminalization.
  • Child welfare agencies and service providers would engage more directly in coordination for safe housing, healthcare, counseling, education, and recovery supports.
  • Families and guardians of affected youth would be impacted by shifts in case handling toward protective services.

4) Procedural and Timeline Considerations

  • Action History:
    • Referred to Judiciary on 2026-02-25.
    • Reported as committed, first considered, and laid on the table on 2026-05-04, indicating movement toward potential floor action.
  • Next steps (typical for such bills):
    • Debates and potential amendments on the floor of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
    • If passed by the House, would move to the Senate for consideration with similar committee referrals and potential amendments.
    • Enactment would require signature by the Governor to become law, or potential veto and override processes.

5) Notable Considerations

  • The bill aims to balance protective services with appropriate accountability, aligning Pennsylvania’s framework with best practices in trauma-informed care for juvenile victims of trafficking and exploitation.
  • The repeal of dependency-in-lieu provisions signals a significant structural shift in juvenile court proceedings and dependency law.

This summary captures the bill’s stated objectives, major substantive changes, affected groups, and key procedural milestones based on the available bill action history. For a more precise understanding, the exact statutory language of HB 2243 would be consulted to note all defined terms, amendments, and any fiscal or administrative implications.

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

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