An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in riot, disorderly conduct and related offenses, providing for whistleblower protection and further providing for nonapplicability of subchapter.

HB 294 adds whistleblower protections for employees reporting potential violations of Pennsylvania's riot and disorderly conduct laws. It designates these employees as covered under the existing 1986 Whistleblower Law when reporting violations in good faith, and treats businesses/nonprofits/government entities as employers under that law for such reports. The bill also amends a statute to exempt animal research conducted lawfully under federal or state law at qualifying research facilities from the riot/disorderly conduct subchapter. This directly affects employees who report violations and research facilities conducting permitted animal studies. The changes take effect 60 days after enactment.