HARRISBURG – The Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by Sen. Lisa Baker (R–20) met today to advance a series of bipartisan measures aimed at strengthening public safety, protecting children, improving estate processes and cracking down on illegal vape products in Pennsylvania.
“Each of these bills reflects careful work by legislators on both sides of the aisle to solve pressing problems that touch the lives of Pennsylvanians in very real ways,” Baker said. “From supporting law enforcement and child protection to ensuring fairness in estate settlements and protecting youth health, these proposals are responsible steps forward.”
For many years, we have seen statistics about the number of homicides and violent crimes that remain unsolved. There are many reasons for this, including the reluctance of witnesses to testify, gaps in communication between jurisdictions and different parts of the criminal justice system, lack of resources and investigators, and cases that somehow fall through the cracks.
Senate Bill 911 provides for coordination and resources that should prove useful in raising the rate for prosecuting and solving violent and deadly crimes by creating the Violent Incident Clearance and Technological Investigative Methods Program to provide grants to law enforcement agencies.
We are quickly learning about disturbing uses for rapidly expanding AI capacity and those who have figured out ways to abuse others through harmful generated images. Senate Bill 1050 strengthens mandated reporter laws to ensure that cases involving child sexual abuse material — including AI-generated deepfakes — are reported, regardless of whether the material was created by a minor or adult.
“This bill seeks to slam shut a door of vulnerability for young people,” Baker said. “As technology evolves, our child protection laws must evolve with it.”
The absence of a will is always a complication in deciding the distribution of assets. House Bill 1176 updates the law governing unclaimed property and intestate estates, making it easier for heirs to reclaim assets held by the Treasury and directing unclaimed estates without heirs to benefit community foundations rather than being turned over to the commonwealth.
As medical evidence begins to accumulate, there is reason for concern about the popularity and prevalence of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems or ENDS, more commonly known as vapes. House Bill 1425 puts in place some important means for overseeing and regulating these devices by establishing a directory to protect young people from exposure to harmful nicotine products and ensure the products entering the commonwealth comply with federal law.
“These measures demonstrate our committee’s commitment to common-sense reforms that enhance justice, safety and public health,” Baker said. “It’s encouraging to see such broad bipartisan support for solutions that make a real difference in our communities.”
All four bills now move to the full Senate for consideration.
CONTACT: Cara Laudenslager