Criminal Justice (Policing)

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Feb 20, 2025

HB 658: An Act amending Title 53 (Municipalities Generally) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in employees, providing for temporary police assistance in certain cities and townships.

HB 658 allows first-class cities and townships in Pennsylvania to temporarily hire retired police officers back for up to five years to address staffing shortages. Police departments must establish a program where retired officers complete an eight-week training course and agree not to have disciplinary records. Retired officers must choose between keeping their full retirement benefits or temporarily pausing them during participation, with credited service for retirement benefits applied upon return. The program expires six years after implementation and only applies to officers retiring before the bill's effective date.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAddresses police staffing shortages by enabling temporary hiring of retired officers with training requirements, directly strengthening law enforcement capacity in municipalities.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Oct 1, 2025

HB 1911: An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in falsification and intimidation, providing for swatting costs.

HB 1911 amends Pennsylvania's criminal code to require individuals who commit "swatting" to pay for the costs incurred by law enforcement responding to their false emergency reports. It directly affects people who intentionally make false reports to trigger a police SWAT response at someone else's home. The key provision establishes that perpetrators must reimburse law enforcement agencies for the actual expenses of the response, including officer time and equipment. This bill focuses on holding swatting offenders financially accountable for the resources they waste.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill requires swatting perpetrators to reimburse law enforcement costs, strengthening accountability and protecting resources in criminal justice.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Jun 3, 2025

SB 200: An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in firearms and other dangerous articles, providing for assault weapons and large capacity magazines and establishing the Firearms and Ammunition Buyback Program and the Pennsylvania State Police Buyback Fund; imposing duties on the Pennsylvania State Police; and imposing penalties.

SB 200 prohibits the possession, sale, or transfer of assault weapons and large capacity magazines in Pennsylvania, requiring current owners to either obtain a certificate from the Pennsylvania State Police within 180 days or surrender the weapons. To get a certificate, owners must pass background checks, provide weapon details, and meet secure storage requirements (e.g., locked containers or devices preventing discharge). The bill also establishes a Firearms and Ammunition Buyback Program and a related fund, though specific implementation details are not provided in the text. This directly affects individuals who currently own prohibited firearms, imposing new legal obligations for possession or surrender.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProhibits assault weapons/large magazines, mandates buyback program, and secure storage requirements to reduce gun violence - directly aligns with criminal justice reform goals.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy Firearms Policing

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Apr 29, 2026

HB 973: An Act amending Title 53 (Municipalities Generally) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in general provisions relating to area government and intergovernmental cooperation, providing for Municipal Police Enhancement and Consolidation Grant Program and establishing the Municipal Police Enhancement and Consolidation Grant Program Fund.

HB 973 creates a grant program to support municipal police departments in Pennsylvania. It provides funding for police department consolidation, achieving accreditation standards, officer training, and community outreach programs. Grants range from $5,000 to $100,000 per department depending on the purpose, with special provisions for small departments (under 10 officers). The program, administered by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, is funded through a new Municipal Police Enhancement Consolidation Grant Program Fund. This directly affects cities, boroughs, and townships with their own police departments.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeFunds police consolidation, accreditation, training, and community outreach to strengthen municipal law enforcement and community relations.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Juvenile Justice Policing

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jan 27, 2025

HB 345: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in the State System of Higher Education, further providing for definitions and for powers and duties of councils of trustees.

This bill amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to change firearm authorization rules for campus police at state universities. It requires campus police to meet state certification standards before carrying firearms and voids all existing resolutions authorizing campus police to carry weapons. The policy directly affects campus police officers and trustees councils across Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education. The change takes effect 60 days after enactment, replacing prior authorization processes with new certification requirements.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill mandates state certification for campus police firearm carrying, enhancing accountability and safety in law enforcement, a key criminal justice policy.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Firearms Policing

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Oct 24, 2025

SB 669: An Act amending Titles 18 (Crimes and Offenses), 23 (Domestic Relations) and 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in firearms and other dangerous articles, further providing for definitions, for the offense of persons not to possess, use, manufacture, control, sell or transfer firearms, for sale or transfer of firearms, for Pennsylvania State Police, for firearm sales surcharge, for Firearm Records Check Fund, for retail dealer required to be licensed and for licensing of dealers and providing for ammunition purchase authorization permits and for transporting ammunition into this Commonwealth; establishing the Ammunition Safety and Enforcement Fund; and making editorial changes.

SB 669 amends Pennsylvania's firearm laws to clarify definitions, restrict firearm possession, and regulate sales and transfers. It introduces new requirements for purchasing ammunition through "ammunition purchase authorization permits" and establishes the "Ammunition Safety and Enforcement Fund" to support enforcement. The bill directly affects gun owners, licensed dealers, and the Pennsylvania State Police by changing how firearms and ammunition are handled and regulated. Key provisions include updating rules for firearm sales surcharges, firearm records checks, and dealer licensing procedures across multiple statutes. These changes aim to modify existing firearm regulations without specifying new criminal penalties or restrictions beyond the defined mechanisms.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill strengthens firearm regulations and establishes enforcement fund, directly supporting law enforcement's role in criminal justice through enhanced regulatory mechanisms and funding.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy Firearms Policing

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Oct 17, 2025

HB 1955: An Act amending Titles 44 (Law and Justice) and 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, codifying prohibition on political subdivisions and Commonwealth agencies imposing quotas on the issuance of citations for certain offenses and prohibiting the practice of station averaging; in licensing of drivers, further providing for schedule of convictions and points; in rules of the road in general, providing for radar enforcement systems pilot program; and making a repeal.

HB 1955 prohibits local governments and state agencies in Pennsylvania from setting targets for issuing traffic citations (quotas) or spreading citation numbers across police stations (station averaging). It also changes how traffic violations affect driver license points and establishes a pilot program testing radar enforcement systems on roads. The bill directly affects local police departments, state agencies, and drivers by altering citation practices and licensing consequences. It codifies existing restrictions on citation quotas while adding new rules for radar use, without changing traffic laws themselves.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProhibits citation quotas and station averaging, directly enhancing police accountability in traffic enforcement per criminal justice reform indicators.85% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill establishes radar enforcement pilot program for traffic safety, directly enhancing transportation safety standards per indicators.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing Driver Licensing Roads & Highways

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Oct 27, 2025

HB 1604: An Act amending Title 53 (Municipalities Generally) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in employees, providing for mandatory firearms training for certain officers.

HB 1604 would require certain municipal officers in Pennsylvania to complete mandatory firearms training under amendments to Title 53 of the state statutes. The bill directly affects municipal law enforcement personnel, such as police officers or other sworn employees, who handle firearms in their duties. Its key provision mandates that these officers receive regular firearms training as a condition of employment or continued certification. The bill is currently inactive after being "laid on the table" in October 2025.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandatory firearms training for municipal officers strengthens law enforcement competency and accountability, aligning with criminal justice reform goals of enhancing officer safety and reducing misconduct risks.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing

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signed · Pennsylvania · Senate Jun 30, 2025

SB 302: An Act amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in protection from abuse, further providing for commencement of proceedings.

SB 302 creates a $100 fee for defendants when a protection order is granted without their agreement. The fee is distributed as follows: $25 to the Pennsylvania State Police for the protection order registry, $25 to the law enforcement agency that served the order, $25 to the county sheriff for related costs, and $25 to the Department of Human Services for domestic violence victim services. This bill directly affects individuals subject to protection orders and impacts how courts handle service of these orders. It became law on June 30, 2025 (Act No. 23 of 2025), modifying Pennsylvania’s domestic relations code to fund victim services and registry maintenance.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeDistributes $100 fee to DHS for domestic violence victim services, directly funding victim support within criminal justice system per bill's fee allocation structure.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Domestic Violence Policing

in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Feb 26, 2025

SB 348: An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in firearms and other dangerous articles, providing for report of theft or loss of firearm; and imposing a penalty.

SB 348 requires firearm owners or lawful possessors in Pennsylvania to report a lost or stolen firearm to local police within 24 hours, providing specific details like the serial number, model, and caliber. Police must then forward this information to the Pennsylvania State Police, who will share it with all law enforcement agencies to aid in locating the firearm. Violating this reporting requirement is a minor offense punishable by a fine of up to $500. The bill directly affects individuals who own or legally possess firearms, creating a new administrative duty to report losses or thefts.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires firearm theft reporting to aid law enforcement, enhancing public safety and police effectiveness in criminal justice context.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Firearms Policing

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