Criminal Justice

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jan 14, 2025

HB 91: An Act amending the act of February 14, 2008 (P.L.6, No.3), known as the Right-to-Know Law, in procedure, further providing for exceptions for public records.

HB 91 amends Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law (2008) to clarify that records related to noncriminal investigations by state agencies are exempt from public disclosure - except for the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. This means agencies like police departments or environmental agencies must now disclose such records (unlike the Fish and Boat Commission, which retains exemption). The bill specifically revises Section 708(b)(17) of the law to remove a blanket exemption for all agencies, making the Fish and Boat Commission the sole exception. It directly affects public access to noncriminal investigation records held by state agencies, with no new reporting or procedural requirements. The change takes effect immediately upon passage.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires disclosure of noncriminal police investigations, enhancing law enforcement transparency and accountability per criminal justice reform indicators.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Mar 10, 2025

HB 849: An Act amending Titles 18 (Crimes and Offenses) and 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in falsification and intimidation, providing for the offense of failure to comply with child abuse offender registration requirements; in sentencing, providing for registration of child abuse offenders; and imposing penalties.

HB 849 creates a new felony offense for child abuse offenders who fail to comply with registration requirements under Pennsylvania law. It makes it a felony of the second degree (or first degree for repeat violations) to miss registration deadlines, provide inaccurate information, fail to verify address or employment, or skip required counseling. The bill requires offenders to register with the Pennsylvania State Police, update details regularly, and provide complete personal information, with police authorized to arrest without a warrant for violations. This directly affects individuals convicted of child abuse offenses who are subject to registration under existing law.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill creates new felony offense for non-compliance with child abuse offender registration, increasing penalties and expanding criminalization per 'oppose' indicators.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing Sentencing

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Sep 10, 2025

HB 1416: An Act amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in miscellaneous provisions relating to operation of vehicles, providing for the offense of interference with operation or movement of a public transit vehicle.

HB 1416 would create a new criminal offense for interfering with the operation or movement of public transit vehicles, such as buses or trains. It directly affects individuals who physically block doors, assault drivers or passengers, or otherwise disrupt transit service. The bill establishes specific penalties for these actions under Pennsylvania's vehicle laws, treating interference as a criminal violation. This change aims to clarify legal consequences for behaviors that endanger transit operations and passenger safety. The bill is currently stalled, having been "laid on the table" in September 2025.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCreates new criminal offense for transit interference, strengthening law enforcement's ability to address safety threats under vehicle laws.90% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationCreates criminal penalties for disrupting public transit operations, directly enhancing safety and operational integrity of transportation services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Violent Crime Public Transit Vehicle Registration

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Jan 22, 2025

SB 29: An Act prohibiting discrimination against individuals based on unemployment status; providing for powers and duties of the Department of Labor and Industry; and imposing a penalty.

SB 29, the Fair Chance for Employment Act, prohibits employers (including government entities and businesses with 5+ employees) from considering an applicant's unemployment status when making hiring or pay decisions. The law explicitly bans using current or recent joblessness as a factor, though it allows employers to require specific licenses, education, or experience as job qualifications. Violations can result in a $500 penalty assessed by the Department of Labor and Industry after an investigation. The bill takes effect 90 days after passage and directly affects job applicants and employers across Pennsylvania.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticePromotes employment access for formerly incarcerated individuals, reducing recidivism - a key criminal justice reform goal.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProhibits unemployment status discrimination in hiring/pay, protecting workers' rights and expanding fair employment opportunities.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Employment Discrimination Labor Standards Unemployment

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Mar 24, 2025

HB 1021: An Act amending Title 16 (Counties) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in grounds and buildings, repealing provisions relating to room or building for juvenile offenders awaiting trial and providing for rooms or buildings for juveniles; and repealing provisions relating to special provisions for temporary county buildings and for rooms in county buildings in counties of the second class A.

HB 1021 replaces Pennsylvania's current requirement for separate rooms for juvenile offenders awaiting trial with a new system mandating counties to provide dedicated rooms or buildings exclusively for juvenile confinement, detention, and care. It requires county commissioners to establish a board of managers for each facility, composed of county officials and six private citizens with expertise in juvenile development, mental health, and substance use disorders. The board oversees operations, appoints a superintendent, and reports annually to county officials, while counties fund all expenses through annual appropriations. This bill directly affects all Pennsylvania counties, particularly those previously governed by the repealed provisions for second-class A counties. The law focuses on structural changes to juvenile detention facilities rather than altering sentencing or legal procedures.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeReplaces juvenile facility requirements with dedicated facilities overseen by experts in juvenile development/mental health, aligning with rehabilitation-focused reform indicators.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Juvenile Justice Sentencing

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passed · Pennsylvania · House Jun 3, 2025

HB 960: An Act amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in commercial drivers, further providing for disqualification.

HB 960 creates a process for commercial drivers in Pennsylvania with lifetime disqualification to potentially regain their licenses after meeting specific requirements. To apply, drivers must complete a state-approved rehabilitation program (if disqualified for DUI/DWI), finish a driver improvement course, pay fees, provide proof of citizenship or residency, and wait at least 10 years since their disqualification. The bill also lists serious offenses - like drug trafficking, causing fatalities, or multiple DUIs - that permanently block reinstatement. Pennsylvania’s Department of Transportation will review applications within 30 days, with eligibility strictly tied to avoiding recent violations of traffic or safety laws.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires state-approved rehab for DUI/DWI disqualifications, enabling license reinstatement after rehabilitation and waiting period, aligning with criminal justice reform goals of rehabilitation over perpetual punishment.85% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill strengthens commercial driver safety by requiring rehabilitation programs for DUI/DWI disqualifications before license reinstatement, aligning with transportation safety standards.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Driver Licensing Traffic Safety Vehicle Registration

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Mar 18, 2025

HB 957: An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in other offenses, further providing for the offense of invasion of privacy.

HB 957 amends Pennsylvania's invasion of privacy law to increase penalties for repeated violations and require convicted individuals to destroy related recordings. It upgrades the offense to a third-degree felony if there are multiple violations (previously a second-degree felony), while single violations remain a first-degree misdemeanor. The bill also adds a new requirement that anyone convicted under this law must delete or destroy all associated recordings (photos, videos, etc.) they possess; failing to do so becomes a separate third-degree felony. This directly affects individuals convicted of privacy violations involving recorded media, such as secretly filming or sharing intimate images without consent. The changes take effect 60 days after enactment.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill upgrades repeat privacy violations to third-degree felony (stricter sentencing), increasing penalties without reform elements like rehabilitation or accountability.90% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyStrengthens data privacy protections by increasing penalties for repeated violations and requiring destruction of recordings, directly advancing privacy safeguards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Data Privacy

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passed · Pennsylvania · Senate Jul 1, 2026

SB 362: An Act amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known as the Human Services Code, in public assistance, further providing for false statements, investigations and penalty.

SB 362 creates new criminal penalties for using counterfeit payment cards that mimic public assistance benefits (like food stamps or cash aid). It classifies offenses as second-degree felonies for $1,000+ in fraud (third-degree for less), requires offenders to pay full restitution, and permanently bans convicted individuals from receiving cash assistance. The bill directly affects people who commit fraud using fake cards tied to assistance programs and strengthens state enforcement against such fraud. Key provisions include clear penalty tiers based on the amount defrauded and a four-year statute of limitations for prosecution.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill imposes felony penalties for public assistance fraud, expanding criminalization and increasing sentencing severity, directly opposing criminal justice reform indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Victims' Rights

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Aug 13, 2025

SB 919: An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in assault, further providing for the offense of aggravated assault.

SB 919 expands Pennsylvania's aggravated assault law to specifically protect United States postal workers and delivery drivers. The bill adds "a United States postal worker or delivery driver" to the list of protected individuals under Section 2702(c), making attacks against them a more serious offense. It also defines "delivery driver" as someone employed for package deliveries using standard-licensed vehicles, regardless of their employer. The law takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExpands aggravated assault law to protect postal workers/delivery drivers, strengthening legal protections for essential workers and enhancing public safety under criminal justice framework.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProtects postal and delivery workers from assault, enhancing workplace safety protections under Labor & Employment policy.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Violent Crime

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passed · Pennsylvania · Senate Jun 30, 2025

SB 739: An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in inchoate crimes, further providing for the offense of manufacture, distribution or possession of master keys for motor vehicles.

SB 739 creates new criminal offenses for manufacturing, distributing, selling, transferring, using, or possessing "illicit devices" for motor vehicles. These devices include physical keys adaptable to multiple vehicles or electronic tools that can unlock, start, or emulate vehicle key fobs. The law specifically targets devices that work across multiple vehicles, with penalties ranging from misdemeanors for first offenses to felonies for repeat violations. Legitimate businesses like dealers, locksmiths, rental agencies, manufacturers, and law enforcement are exempt from these restrictions when operating in their normal course of business.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill creates new criminal offenses and increases penalties for possessing vehicle-unlocking devices, expanding criminalization and increasing sentencing severity.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy

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