All Legislation

Bill voted on Concurrence

SB 327 (GEBHARD) Amends Title 53 (Municipalities) to allow the Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission (MPOETC) to automatically certify Fort Indiantown Gap installation police officers. Updates the definition of campus police to include MPOETC certified officers. Removes requirement for the council of each institution’s approval to carry firearms on campus. CONCURRED IN HOUSE AMENDMENTS 49-0.

Bills amended on Second Consideration

SB 116 (ARGALL) Amends the Public School Code by permitting 11th or 12th grade students who are at least 16 years of age to earn one elective credit for each 250 hours worked on a paid or voluntary basis at a congregate care facility. Allows up to two elective credits per student towards graduation requirements. Requires school entities and nonpublic schools to develop or modify an existing application process and form for elective credits; establish deadlines for applications and any other conditions a student must meet to obtain elective credit; and ensure employment at the congregate care facility satisfies cooperative vocation education requirements. MOVED UP AS AMENDED AND RE-REFERRED TO APPROPRIATIONS.

A02295 (ARGALL) Enables elective credits to be earned by working in services provided through managed care under Living Independently for the Elderly (LIFE) or Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), as well as in continuing-care retirement communities issued a certificate of authority by the Insurance Department. AGREED TO.

SB 1014 (ROBINSON) Amends the Public School Code by requiring school entities to adopt a policy or amend an existing policy to prohibit the use of mobile devices by students during the school day while on school grounds or at a school-sponsored activity no later than the start of the 2027-2028 school year. Requires policies to provide for limited use by students who require mobile devices due to a medical condition; as an accommodation or service provided under an individual education program (IEP) or a 504 agreement; English translation purposes; or is instructed to do so by a teacher for educational purposes under certain conditions. Requires a public comment period prior to a policy’s adoption or amendment. Establishes public posting requirements for adopted or amended policies. MOVED UP AS AMENDED AND RE-REFERRED TO APPROPRIATIONS.

A02404 (ROBINSON) Clarifies school entities are not required to take possession of a student’s mobile phone. Exempts school entities and employees from liability for a mobile device that is damaged or lost while in the possession of a school employee who acted in good faith to secure the mobile device in accordance with the school entity’s policy. Allows mobile device policies to authorize a chief school administrator or designee to approve or deny exceptions to the policy when requested by principals. Limits provisions to school property rather than public school grounds or school sponsored activity. ADOPTED 49-0.

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Bill voted on Concurrence

SB 467 (PISCIOTTANO) Exchanges Project 70 land restrictions within West Mifflin Borough, Allegheny County on land owned by the Turnpike Commission. CONCURRED IN HOUSE AMENDMENTS 47-0.

Bills voted on Third Consideration

HB 17 (WATRO) Amends the Public School Code by requiring elementary public and private schools to provide instruction in print, joined italics, and cursive handwriting. PASSED 42-5.

SB 116 (ARGALL) Amends the Public School Code by permitting 11th or 12th grade students who are at least 16 years of age to earn one elective credit for each 250 hours worked on a paid or voluntary basis at a congregate care facility. Allows up to two elective credits per student towards graduation requirements. Requires school entities and nonpublic schools to develop or modify an existing application process and form for elective credits; establish deadlines for applications and any other conditions a student must meet to obtain elective credit; and ensure employment at the congregate care facility satisfies cooperative vocation education requirements. PASSED 47-0.

SB 974 (HUTCHINSON) Amends the Public School Code by making eligible for the Dual Credit Innovation Grant program community education councils that collaborate with higher education institutions in offering high school students dual credit opportunities. Requires the Department of Education to collect and report data on dual credit programs offered by community education councils and higher education institutions; along with the data of dual credit students who earned college credits through the collaboration following high school graduation. PASSED 47-0.

SB 1014 (ROBINSON) Amends the Public School Code by requiring school entities to adopt a policy or amended an existing policy to prohibit the use of mobile devices by students during the school day while
on school property no later than the start of the 2027-2028 school year. Requires policies to provide for limited use by students who require mobile devices due to a medical condition; as an accommodation or service provided under an individual education program (IEP) or a 504 agreement; English translation purposes; or is instructed to do so by a teacher for educational purposes under certain conditions. Allows mobile device policies to authorize a chief school administrator or designee to approve or deny limited exceptions to the policy when requested by principals. Requires a public comment period prior to a policy’s adoption or amendment. Establishes public posting requirements for adopted or amended policies. PASSED 46-1.

Bill amended on Second Consideration

SB 1090 (PENNYCUICK) Enacts the Safeguarding Adolescent from Exploitative Chatbots and Harmful AI Technology (SAFECHAT) Act by requiring operators to issue a clear notice that an AI companion is not human when users might think otherwise; implement and publish safeguards to prevent an AI companion from producing suicidal ideation, suicide or self-harm content to a user, or content that directly encourages the user to commit acts of violence; disclose to a user it knows or should reasonably suspect to be a minor that AI companions may not be suitable for some minor; institute reasonable measures to prevent AI companion from producing visual material of sexually explicit conduct or directly instructing the minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Authorizes enforcement by the Attorney General and subjects violations to a civil penalty of up to $10,000 per violation. AMENDED AND RE-REFERRED TO APPROPRIATIONS.

A02342 (PENNYCUICK) Provides clarification within requirements for safeguards for minors and modifies requirements for disclosure for operators that know a minor is using their service. Makes civil penalties in addition to any other remedy provided by law. AGREED TO.

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Bills voted on Third Consideration

HB 331 (BRIGGS) Amends Title 42 (Judiciary and Judiciary Procedure) by increasing the annual registration fee paid to Specialty Court Judges of Pennsylvania Association from $200 to $400 and requiring the Court Administrator to pay the fee for each Magisterial District, Philadelphia Municipal, and Philadelphia Traffic Court Judge. Re-directs certain court costs imposed by Magisterial District Judges directly into the Judicial Computer System Augmentation Account. Requires the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to complete a performance audit of the Access to Justice Account and submit it to the General Assembly by June 15, 2026. PASSED 46-2.

SB 704 (YAW) Establishes the Grid Stabilization and Security Act to direct the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) to identify economically viable sites for natural gas electric generation projects. Requires identified sites to be near producing natural gas well pipelines capable of supplying the generation facility; near electric transmission infrastructure capable of transmitting the generated electricity to markets for the benefit of end-user consumers; and likely to create projects that provide economic benefits to the Commonwealth, surrounding municipalities, and residents. Requires DCED to publish the list for public access online and work in conjunction with the Department of Environmental Protection’s Bureau of Air Quality to identify the air quality permits or approvals required for each site on the list. PASSED 28-20.

HB 710 (BENNINGHOFF) Amends Title 75 (Vehicles) to require the Department of Transportation to establish an online verification system (OVS) through which it will verify insurance coverage information that is self-certified by a motor vehicle registrant. Provides that vehicle owners or registrants are not required to provide an insurance card to PennDOT when coverage is verified through OVS, and insurers participating in OVS are not required to notify PennDOT of policy lapses, terminations, or cancellations. Mandates insurers that issue 1,000 policies of insurance within Pennsylvania to participate in the OVS; to provide PennDOT or the OVS third party contractor with access to motor vehicle liability insurance information; to cooperate with PennDOT in establishing and maintaining the OVS; and to have the ability to respond to and confirm a request for verification of financial responsibility for at least 24 months prior to the date of the request. PASSED 48-0.

SB 712 (YAW) Amends Title 58 (Oils and Gas) by requiring the Department of Environmental Protection to require, at a minimum, operators to utilize a cement plug of at least 50 feet at the attainable bottom of the well; the depth and efficacy of the plug to be confirmed; and the remaining well bore to be plugged to the surface with a solid column of cement. PASSED 32-16.

HB 1934 (BRIGGS) Amends the Commonwealth Attorneys Act by providing that access for the purpose of satisfying discovery requests proposed on the Office of Attorney General in a civil action, unless the agency is a party to the action and represented by the Office of Attorney General. PASSED 47-1.

Executive Nominations

State Transportation Commission, Dan J. DeBone CONFIRMED 48-0
State Transportation Commission, Richard J. Fitzgerald, Jr CONFIRMED 48-0
State Transportation Commission, James P. Foreman CONFIRMED 48-0
State Transportation Commission, Mike W. Pritchard CONFIRMED 48-0
State Transportation Commission, James J. Vasilko CONFIRMED 48-0
State Transportation Commission, Paige M. Willan CONFIRMED 48-0
Board of Pardons, John S. O’Brien, II CONFIRMED 38-10

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