HARRISBURG – A bipartisan group of lawmakers have introduced Alicia’s Law in the PA House and Senate to fund the prosecution of technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation and internet crimes against children. The law is named for Alicia Kozak, who was abducted from her Pittsburgh home by an internet predator at the age of 13 in 2002. She says online predators are at work aiming for children. House Bill 2199 and Senate Bill 1233 would establish state and local task forces across PA to fight internet crimes against children. The task forces would supplement and enhance the work of the existing federal Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program, under which 61 task forces nationwide receive funding, training, and technical assistance for the protection of children who are online. The bills also provide additional funding for the new task forces from a partial redirection of an existing funding stream that supports judicial operations. Alicia’s Law already is in effect in 12 states. The bills have been referred to the respective judiciary committees.
