Criminal Justice

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Sep 9, 2025

HB 1480: An Act amending Title 44 (Law and Justice) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in Pennsylvania State Police, providing for nonpublic database registry of domestic violence offenders; and imposing penalties.

HB 1480 would create a nonpublic database registry for domestic violence offenders within the Pennsylvania State Police system. This registry would specifically track individuals convicted of domestic violence offenses, making their records accessible only to law enforcement and certain authorized personnel. The bill also establishes penalties for violations of the registry requirements, such as improper access or disclosure of the information. The primary effect is on domestic violence offenders whose records would be entered into this restricted system.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCreates law enforcement registry for domestic violence offenders, enhancing tracking and access controls for authorized personnel, aligning with criminal justice oversight and prevention goals.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Domestic Violence Policing

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Sep 9, 2025

HB 1477: An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in assault, further providing for the offense of stalking.

HB 1477 increases penalties for repeat stalking offenses in Pennsylvania. It upgrades second or subsequent stalking convictions (or first offenses with prior violent crimes against the same victim, like assault or rape) to a second-degree felony, requiring a minimum 5-year prison sentence and a maximum of 10 years. The bill mandates that courts must consider prior convictions for specific violent crimes when sentencing, with strict procedures for verifying those records. This directly affects individuals convicted of stalking who have prior violent offenses against the same person, altering sentencing outcomes without changing the definition of stalking itself.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeIncreases mandatory minimum sentences for repeat stalking (5-10 years), upgrades penalties to second-degree felony, and restricts judicial discretion by mandating prior violent crime consideration. Expands criminalization.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Domestic Violence Sentencing

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Sep 9, 2025

HB 1481: An Act amending Title 44 (Law and Justice) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for civilian community relations specialists; establishing the Civilian Community Relations Specialists Fund; and imposing duties on the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.

HB 1481 would create a new position for civilian community relations specialists within Pennsylvania law enforcement agencies. It establishes a dedicated fund to cover the costs of hiring these specialists, who would work directly with communities to build trust and address concerns. The bill requires the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency to manage the fund and oversee the program's implementation. This legislation directly affects police departments and the Commission, aiming to improve community-police relationships through non-law enforcement staff.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCreates civilian community relations specialists to build police-community trust and accountability, directly advancing criminal justice reform through dedicated funding and oversight.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Juvenile Justice Policing

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Sep 9, 2025

HB 1837: An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in offenses against the family, providing for the offense of child torture.

HB 1837 would create a new criminal offense called "child torture" under Pennsylvania's Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) statute, specifically within the section addressing family offenses. This bill directly affects individuals who commit severe physical or psychological abuse against children, adding a distinct legal charge for such acts. The key mechanism involves amending existing laws to define and categorize "child torture" as a specific offense, separate from other child abuse crimes. This would provide prosecutors with a targeted legal framework to address extreme cases of child maltreatment.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCreates new 'child torture' offense for severe abuse, strengthening legal accountability and protection within criminal justice framework.95% confidence

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Sep 10, 2025

HB 1858: An Act amending the act of June 24, 1976 (P.L.424, No.101), referred to as the Emergency and Law Enforcement Personnel Death Benefits Act, extending the payment of death benefits to surviving spouse or children or parents of corrections officers; and making editorial changes.

HB 1858 amends Pennsylvania's Emergency and Law Enforcement Personnel Death Benefits Act to extend death benefits to surviving spouses, children, or parents of corrections officers. Currently, the law provides benefits to families of certain emergency and law enforcement personnel, but corrections officers were excluded from coverage. This bill explicitly adds corrections officers to the eligible group, ensuring their families receive financial support if a corrections officer dies while on duty. The bill also includes minor editorial changes to update the law's language.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExtends death benefits to corrections officers' families, strengthening support for corrections personnel within the criminal justice system.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExtends death benefits to families of corrections officers, expanding worker benefits and ensuring financial support for their families in case of on-duty death, strengthening employment protections.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement

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passed · Pennsylvania · House Jun 22, 2026

HB 1616: An Act amending Titles 18 (Crimes and Offenses) and 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in offenses against the family, further providing for the offense of dealing in infant children; and, in depositions and witnesses, providing for sentencing considerations for child victim offenders.

HB 1616 allows Pennsylvania judges to consider a child offender's prior victimization in sentencing. If a child was sexually abused (as defined by specific offenses like rape or sexual assault under state law) and committed a crime directly because of that abuse or severe emotional distress, courts may reduce or eliminate prison time, skip fines, or transfer the case to juvenile court. The law does not apply to cases involving human trafficking or if the victim did not engage in prohibited conduct. This changes sentencing for children convicted of crimes where their own abuse was a direct cause.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill allows judges to reduce sentences for child offenders victimized by abuse, aligning with criminal justice reform by prioritizing rehabilitation over punishment for trauma-driven offenses.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Human Trafficking Juvenile Justice Victims' Rights

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Sep 17, 2025

HB 1867: An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in firearms and other dangerous articles, providing for prohibition of extreme risk protective orders.

HB 1867 would amend Pennsylvania's criminal code to prohibit courts from issuing extreme risk protective orders (ERPOs), which are court orders temporarily removing firearms from individuals deemed a risk to themselves or others. This bill directly affects individuals who might be subject to such orders, as well as law enforcement and courts that currently use ERPOs under existing state law. The key provision would eliminate the legal mechanism for ERPOs in Pennsylvania, preventing judges from issuing these orders even when requested by law enforcement or family members. The bill is currently in the Judiciary committee following its referral on September 17, 2025.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeProhibits ERPOs, a court tool to temporarily remove firearms from high-risk individuals, restricting a criminal justice mechanism for preventing gun violence and harm.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Firearms

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jun 30, 2025

HB 1673: An Act amending Title 44 (Law and Justice) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for prohibition on law enforcement use of chemical weapons.

HB 1673 would prohibit Pennsylvania law enforcement agencies from using chemical weapons, including riot control agents like tear gas, during public order incidents. This bill directly affects police departments and law enforcement officers by restricting their use of specific chemical agents under Pennsylvania law. The key provision amends Title 44 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes to establish this ban, replacing existing provisions that may have permitted such use. The bill is currently pending in the Judiciary Committee after being referred on June 30, 2025.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBans police use of tear gas/chemical weapons, enhancing accountability and protecting civil rights in law enforcement95% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jul 17, 2025

HB 1744: An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in authorized disposition of offenders, further providing for sentence for murder, murder of unborn child and murder of law enforcement officer.

HB 1744 modifies Pennsylvania's parole eligibility rules for second-degree murder convictions. It allows parole consideration after 25 years of imprisonment if the person has no felony convictions in the prior 25 years (excluding convictions from the same criminal episode), is not a principal offender in the murder, and isn't subject to specific other offenses like assault by life prisoner or witness intimidation. The bill does not apply to those convicted under certain sections (e.g., 2704, 4952(b)). It directly affects second-degree murder convicts meeting all specified conditions. The bill takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeModifies parole eligibility for second-degree murder, allowing consideration after 25 years under specific conditions, promoting rehabilitation and reducing unnecessary incarceration.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Probation & Parole Violent Crime

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jun 17, 2026

HB 1381: An Act amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in juvenile matters, further providing for definitions.

HB 1381 amends Pennsylvania's juvenile justice definitions by raising the minimum age for a "delinquent child" from 10 to 13 years old. This change directly affects children aged 10-12 who previously could be classified as delinquent under the law; they will no longer be considered "delinquent children" under this definition. The bill modifies Section 6302 of Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) to specify that a "delinquent child" must be 13 or older, with the court finding they committed a delinquent act requiring treatment or rehabilitation. The amendment applies to juvenile proceedings beginning on or after its effective date, 60 days after enactment.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRaises juvenile delinquency age from 10 to 13, preventing children under 13 from criminal justice processing per reform principles protecting youth rights.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Juvenile Justice

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