17 New PA Laws Now In Effect That Could Change Your Life

HARRISBURG, PA —As 2018 comes to a close, there are several new laws now on the books in Pennsylvania. Just this week, at least 17 new laws have gone into effect, impacting DUI penalties, pet safety, misdemeanor records, and more.

Here's a look at some of the new laws now in effect in Pennsylvania:

Stricter penalties for DUIs

A new law now on the books increases the consequences for repeat DUI offenders. Under Act 153 of 2018, repeat DUIs could be felony charges. Drivers facing a third DUI offense who have a BAC of 0.16 percent or drivers facing their fourth DUI can be charged with a felony.

The new law, which went into effect on Dec. 23, also increases prison time for DUI drivers who cause fatal accidents. The minimum sentence has increased from three to five years if the offender has one previous DUI, and from three to seven years if the driver has two or more previous DUIs.

The law also increases fines and prison time for repeat DUI offenders driving on a suspended license. You can read the new law in full here.

Protecting animals in hot cars

House Bill 1216, signed in October, allows officers to enter a vehicle to provide care to an animal believed to be a victim of neglect or living below minimum care standards. The new law allows a police officer, humane officer, animal control officer or other public safety professionals to remove a dog or cat from an unattended vehicle if they believe the animal is in "imminent danger or harm" after a reasonable search for the operator of the vehicle. It further protects a police officer, humane officer, or public safety professional who removes a dog or cat from an unattended vehicle from liability for any damages.

It also requires that the officer who removes a dog or cat from an unattended vehicle must leave a conspicuous note for the owner stating the officer's information and the information for where to pick up the pet. You can read the new law in full here.

Clean slate Law

A portion of the state's new “clean slate” law is now in effect. Under the new law, people can petition for that certain misdemeanors, such as simple assault, be sealed. Misdemeanor records will be automatically sealed in June if a defendant has gone 10 years without another conviction.

Also under the new law, arrests that did not result in convictions will be sealed.

The following additional laws went into effect this week:

Senate Bill 915: Extends the time a convicted individual has to file a post-conviction relief action to one year, from what was 60 days under current law. Read more.

Senate Bill 554: Creates new protections and supports for children of human trafficking and sexual exploitation. The new law shields children from prosecution for crimes their abusers forced them to commit, enhances law enforcement training and establishes a new fund for victim services. Read more.

House Bill 126: Amends the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in prescribing opioids to minors, further providing for procedure; providing for reimbursement of patient expenses associated with participation in cancer clinical trials and for duties of the Department of Health, etc. Read more.

House Bill 149: Amends the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for unlawful use of an audio or video device in court. Read more.

House Bill 1884: Amends the Public School Code of 1949, in terms and courses of study, further providing for child exploitation awareness education. Read more.

House Bill 1886: Amends the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in incapacitated persons, further providing for provisions concerning powers, duties and liabilities. Read more.

House Bill 1951: Amends the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for the offense of access of minors to dextromethorphan and imposing a penalty. Read more.

House Bill 2049: Provides for requirements for documentation of the need for an assistance animal or service animal in housing and for the offenses of misrepresentation of entitlement to assistance animal or service animal and misrepresentation of animal as assistance animal or service animal. Read more.

House Bill 2052: Amends the Public School Code of 1949, in professional employees, providing for military parent student support. Read more.

House Bill 2124: Amends the Public School Code of 1949, in preliminary provisions, providing for information regarding education loans. Read more.

Senate Bill 31: Amends the Tobacco Settlement Act, establishing the Spinal Cord Injury Research Program and Spinal Cord Research Advisory Committee, further providing for department responsibilities and for use of funds and providing for spinal cord injury research programs funding. Read more.

Senate Bill 299: Amends the Pennsylvania Election Code, further providing for number of signers required for nomination petitions of candidates at primaries. Read more.

Senate Bill 1127: Amends the current penalties for those that engage in the fraudulent traffic of food orders, otherwise more commonly known as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits. Read more.

Senate Bill 1209: Addresses the backlog of untested rape kits by establishing a commission of local and state agencies to annually review funding needs and improve communications and creating a hotline for hospitals to call if a rape kit is not picked up within 72 hours. Read more.

Image via PA Gov. Tom Wolf's office