Technology

This bill amends Pennsylvania's State Lottery Law to protect the privacy of large lottery winners. It requires that personal information (name, address, and other details) for winners of $100,000 or more in prizes remain confidential and not part of public records. However, the winner's city/township/borough, county of residence, and prize amount must still be publicly disclosed. Winners may voluntarily waive this confidentiality by following procedures set by the Department of Revenue, and the department can create implementing regulations.

SB 377 requires Pennsylvania state agencies to purchase information technology devices (like computers or tablets) that meet specific security standards when entering new public works contracts. It mandates that these devices, services, and solutions must be configurable, secure, and maintainable according to National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) guidelines or widely adopted industry security practices. The law applies only to contracts signed on or after its effective date (60 days after passage), affecting state agencies buying endpoint devices for public projects. This policy change directly impacts procurement decisions for IT hardware and services across Pennsylvania government operations.

SB 811 establishes Pennsylvania's SBIR/STTR Matching Funds Program to support small businesses with federal research grants. It provides state matching funds (up to $50,000) to Pennsylvania-based businesses that receive Phase I awards under the federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) or Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. To qualify, businesses must conduct at least 51% of their Phase II research in Pennsylvania, submit a Phase I report, and avoid duplicate state funding. The program aims to foster economic growth by helping small businesses advance federal-funded research projects.

Pennsylvania's SB 649 (now Act No. 35 of 2025) creates a new criminal offense for "digital forgery," targeting individuals who create and distribute fake digital images or audio recordings of real people without consent, intending to defraud or cause harm. It defines a "forged digital likeness" as a computer-generated representation that materially changes a person's appearance, speech, or behavior to deceive others, with penalties ranging from a misdemeanor to a felony for fraud schemes. The law explicitly excludes satire, political commentary, law enforcement activities, and technology providers from prosecution, and allows a defense if the creator clearly disclosed the content as fake. This law directly affects creators of deceptive digital content and aims to protect individuals from identity-based fraud or harm.