The Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act, which includes a number of proposals introduced by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), was passed by the U.S. Senate on Thursday night.
The bipartisan child welfare legislation aims at reducing child sex trafficking, increasing adoptions and improving child support collections. The bill includes proposals from the Improving Outcomes for Youth at Risk for Sex Trafficking Act introduced by Hatch last September. It now will be sent to President Obama to be signed into law.
“This bill takes crucial steps to improve the lives of children and youth in the foster care system who are vulnerable to sex trafficking and other negative outcomes,” Hatch said. “While there is more to be done to reform child welfare, such as ending the over-reliance on group homes, this bill takes a critical step forward.”
The act encourages states to combat sex trafficking among youth in foster care; promote normalcy for foster youth; help move more children from foster care into adoptive homes or the homes of relatives; and increase the amount of child support provided to families in which one parent resides outside of the U.S.
The legislation is fully paid for and would save $1 million over 5 years and $19 million over 10 years.