The Pennsylvania General Assembly has passed Alicia’s Law, legislation that creates a dedicated state grant program to fund law enforcement task forces focused on investigating and prosecuting internet predators who target children.Previous coverage >>> ‘Alicia’s Law’: Internet safety bill named for Pittsburgh-area girl advances in Pennsylvania SenateHouse Bill 1098 now heads to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s desk for consideration. If the governor signs it, Pennsylvania would become the 14th state to pass a version of Alicia’s Law, according to a release from the Pennsylvania House GOP.The program will be administered through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency to fund additional task forces, train investigators and supplement the state’s single existing federally funded task force dedicated to internet crimes against children.Local lawmakers reactHouse Bill 1098 was sponsored by Rep. Jason Ortitay (R-Washington/Allegheny) and Rep. Jessica Benham (D-Allegheny), passing the House with dedicated funding attached. Sen. Devlin Robinson (R-Allegheny) carried the Senate companion measure, Senate Bill 1335.Ortitay said, “Alicia’s experience isn’t some relic from the early days of the internet. It’s a warning about what happens when kids can freely interact with strangers online while law enforcement lacks the tools to keep pace. With elementary-aged children on social media, these crimes aren’t diminishing. They’re growing. This legislation puts Pennsylvania on the offensive.”Benham said, “Children deserve better protections from predators online and our laws must keep pace with the rapid growth of technology,” Benham said. “Alicia’s Law is designed to strengthen Pennsylvania’s capacity to prevent and identify these crimes, support investigations and hold perpetrators accountable.”Robinson said, “As more children have access to the internet at a young age, the predators we once worried about on our streets are now sitting behind computers and smartphones interacting with innocent children. By providing the funding and tools needed to better investigate and prosecute these horrendous crimes, our children will be safer and better protected.”Honoring a survivorThe measure is named for Alicia Kozak, a Pittsburgh-area native who was abducted at age 13 on New Year’s Day 2002 by a man she met online. Kozak was held in a basement and sexually assaulted while the abuse was livestreamed online, until an online viewer reported the stream to the FBI. The case is considered the nation’s first known internet-related child abduction. Kozak later earned a master’s degree in forensic psychology, founded The Alicia Project to teach internet safety, trained federal investigators and advocated for Alicia’s Law in states across the country.Alicia Kozak In July 2024, Kozak advocated for the law at the Pennsylvania Capitol. Weeks later, Kozak and her boyfriend discovered the perpetrator was re-offending, leading to his conviction in a Pennsylvania courtroom. Previous coverage >>> 11 Investigates: Previously convicted child predator faces 25-year sentence following new conviction“My rescue felt like a miracle, but no child’s safety should depend on a miracle. That’s where Alicia’s Law comes in,” Kozak said. “… Last week, I sat in a Pennsylvania courtroom and watched him be convicted. Less than a week after his conviction, my home state has become the 14th state to pass Alicia’s Law! The timing is deeply personal, but this law is not about one offender or one survivor. This is not just my story. Predators are in every community, and they are targeting our children.”Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOWTOP STORIES FROM CHANNEL 11 NEWS ©2026 Cox Media Group
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