Title
Amending Title 9 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Regulation of Businesses, Trades, and Professions," by adding provisions that require hotels and other places that offer rentals of temporary overnight lodging or spaces to maintain a room registry; prohibiting some rentals at less than the daily rate or at hourly rates; and, providing for definitions, penalties and other related items; all under certain terms and conditions.
Body
WHEREAS, The United Nations estimates human trafficking is a $32 billion-a-year industry that enslaves as many as 27 million people around the world at any given time. This modern-day slavery occurs in countries throughout the world and in communities across our Nation; and
WHEREAS, To uphold the values of freedom, liberty, and opportunity, the City joins the Nation in efforts to end the modern-day slavery of human-trafficking and exploitation in all forms; and
WHEREAS, Global and National anti-human trafficking efforts continue to focus on prosecution of criminals and assisting victims to recover their lives, the development of new tools are needed to prevent and respond to this crime; and
WHEREAS, It is essential that the hotels and other places that offer rentals of temporary overnight lodging conduct business in a manner that combats the trafficking in persons; and
WHEREAS, Human trafficking uncovered in a hotel or other place of business within the City can have serious consequences, with added risks to reputation and profit; and
WHEREAS, Regulation of the places where victims are exploited provides important implications for crime prevention; and
WHEREAS, Human traffickers often rent hotel rooms hourly and less than the daily rate, relying on legitimate businesses to sustain their operations and infrastructure; now, therefore
THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA HEREBY ORDAINS:
SECTION 1. Title 9 is hereby amended as follows:
TITLE 9. REGULATION OF BUSINESSES, TRADES AND PROFESSIONS.
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