5 New Pennsylvania Laws That Could Change Your Life In 2017

Some changes are coming to Pennsylvania in 2017. New laws going into effect in 2017 could change the way you drive, shop and travel.

Patch is breaking down some important new legislation for 2017, coming in the form of new laws or changes to current laws. Here's a look at five of the most significant changes coming in the new year:

License Registration Stickers To Be Eliminated

Pennsylvania license plate registration stickers will become a thing of the past as of Jan. 1, 2017. The stickers will be replaced with Automated License Plate Reader technology that provides law enforcement a “better tool” to verify expired vehicle registrations, according to PennDOT. PennDOT officials say plate reader technology has “numerous advantages” over the registration stickers, which can be counterfeited, sold, affixed to dead plates or applied to plates for which they were not intended. Click here to learn more.

Free the Six-Pack

In November, Gov. Tom Wolf signed HB 1196, which allows six-packs to be sold at beer distributors. The law, part of the governor's "free the six-pack" effort, goes into effect on Jan. 14. Under the new law, distributors can sell malt or brewed beverages in any amount to an unlicensed customer for off-premises consumption. The new law also allows retail licensees to start selling on Sundays at 9 a.m. instead of 11 a.m. Click here to learn more.

Gas Tax Hike

The start of the new year will bring higher gas prices in Pennsylvania. The state's wholesale gas tax, which is already the highest in the country, will increase by 8 cents per gallon on Sunday. The Jan. 1 hike is the last of three increases in four years intended to fund road construction and maintenance projects across the state.

Once the increase is in effect, motorists will pay a gas tax of 78 cents per gallon in Pennsylvania. Click here to learn more.

Turnpike Toll Increase

Drivers who use the Pennsylvania Turnpike as part of their daily commute are looking at increased tolls come Jan. 8. Pennsylvania Turnpike toll rates will increase by 6 percent in 2017. Click here to learn more.

Driver's License Restrictions

Residents of Pennsylvania, one of five states that are still out of compliance with federal ID requirements passed in 2005, will no longer be able to use their driver's licenses to enter federal facilities starting Jan. 30, 2017. By 2018, the licenses as issued will not be suitable forms of identification for boarding a flight. Click here to learn more.

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