HB 416 Pennsylvania House · 2023-2024 Regular Session

An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in assault, further providing for the offense of stalking.

This Pennsylvania bill expands stalking laws and introduces a new crime called unauthorized location tracking to address privacy concerns regarding digital surveillance. The stalking provisions clarify that repeated acts intended to cause fear or emotional distress are criminal offenses, with penalties increasing to a felony for repeat offenders or those with prior violent convictions. Additionally, the bill makes it a misdemeanor to use technology to monitor another person's location without permission, though it includes specific exceptions for law enforcement investigations, court-ordered supervision, and parents tracking their own children. These changes aim to provide clearer legal tools for protecting individuals from harassment and invasive tracking while allowing for legitimate uses like parental monitoring and fleet management.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2023
Committee Review
Jul 2024
House Passage
Apr 2024
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Mar 14, 2023 Last action Jul 2, 2024
Floor votes · House Apr 30, 2024

How they voted

199–1
Passed · 2 other
Total votes 202
Apr 30, 2024
D Democratic102
102 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican100
97 Yea 1 Nay 2
97% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
15
Key actions
4
Committee
6
Amendments
1
Jul 2, 2024
Committee
Re-committed to Judiciary
upper
Jul 1, 2024
Upper · Passed
Reported as committed
upper
May 17, 2024
Committee
Referred to Judiciary
upper
Apr 30, 2024
Lower · Passed
Third consideration and final passage
lower
Apr 30, 2024
Lower · Passed
Re-reported as committed
lower
Apr 29, 2024
Committee
Re-committed to Appropriations
lower
Mar 26, 2024
Lower · Passed
Reported as amended
lower
Mar 14, 2023
Committee
Referred to Judiciary
lower
1 primary · 24 co-sponsors

Sponsors