An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in assault, providing for the offense of hate crimes against law enforcement officers and first responders.

SB 634 creates a new hate crime offense in Pennsylvania law targeting attacks against law enforcement officers and first responders (firefighters and emergency medical personnel). It defines this as intentionally committing crimes like assault, property damage, or trespassing motivated by hatred toward someone's job in these roles. If the underlying crime is a misdemeanor, the hate crime charge raises it to a higher class (e.g., misdemeanor of the second degree), and courts must consider a sentencing enhancement. This bill directly affects individuals who commit such acts, increasing penalties for targeting public safety workers due to their employment.