A significant legislative milestone was reached on Wednesday as the House approved a new law aimed at enhancing oversight of youth residential treatment facilities. This achievement is largely attributed to Paris Hilton, the hotel heir, who has actively campaigned for stricter regulations in an industry plagued by numerous allegations of child abuse.

The Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act received strong bipartisan support within the House, complementing its earlier unanimous passage in the Senate the previous week. The legislation is now set to be sent to President Joe Biden for final approval and enactment.

In a post shared on social media following the passage of the bill, Hilton expressed her satisfaction, stating, “This moment is proof that our voices matter, that speaking out can spark change, and that no child should ever endure the horrors of abuse in silence. I did this for the younger version of myself and the youth who were senselessly taken from us by the Troubled Teen industry.”

Hilton has dedicated years to bringing attention to the mistreatment she alleges to have experienced during her time at a boarding school in Utah. At the age of 17, she spent 11 months at Provo Canyon School, where she claims she faced both mental and physical abuse. According to Hilton, the staff would often hit her, force her to ingest unidentifiable pills, monitor her during showers, and place her in solitary confinement without clothing as punishment. The traumatic nature of her experiences has left her with ongoing issues, including recurrent nightmares and insomnia.

Her harrowing experiences are further documented in the 2020 film “This is Paris,” which provides a comprehensive look at the abuse she claims to have endured.

The newly passed legislation will create an interagency working group under the Department of Health & Human Services. This group is expected to enhance transparency regarding the treatment of youth in such facilities, especially regarding the application of restraints and the use of seclusion rooms as disciplinary measures. Hilton’s relentless advocacy efforts have contributed to the enactment of similar protective laws for minors in at least eight states, with a notable example being her home state of California, where comparable legislation is set to take effect on January 1.