Briggs announces Judiciary Committee approval of reform bills
Rep. Tim Briggs June 17, 2026 | 1:38 PM
HARRISBURG, June 17 – Pennsylvania House Judiciary Committee Chairman state Rep. Tim Briggs today announced the committee’s approval of a package of bills focused on public safety, consumer protections, constitutional rights, and fairness in the justice system. The measures now head to the full House of Representatives for further consideration.
“Today’s votes demonstrate our commitment to thoughtful, practical reforms that strengthen public confidence in our justice system and improve the lives of Pennsylvanians,” Briggs said. “These bills address important issues facing our communities and reflect the committee’s work to ensure our laws are fair, effective, and responsive to the needs of the people we serve.”
The committee approved the following measures:
House Bill 131 (sponsored by state Rep. Chris Rabb) would strengthen Pennsylvania’s law enforcement misconduct database to help police departments identify officers with histories of misconduct before making hiring decisions. The bill would improve accountability and help keep communities safe.
“This database can be an invaluable resource for community safety, but only if we fulfill it to its highest potential,” Rabb said. “These changes will ensure no documented misconduct goes undetected and will deter law enforcement agencies from failing to take part in the accountability process. I urge the House to consider this and join the effort to make Pennsylvania a national model for police accountability.”
House Bill 733 (sponsored by state Rep. Jeanne McNeill) would modernize and expand who can legally officiate weddings in Pennsylvania and create uniform exceptions to existing requirements.
House Bill 1381 (sponsored by state Rep. Heather Boyd) would raise the minimum age for juvenile court jurisdiction from 10 to 13 years old. The legislation recognizes that very young children often lack the developmental capacity to fully understand legal proceedings and seeks to provide age-appropriate responses to youthful behavior.
House Bill 1731 (sponsored by state Rep. Manuel Guzman) would create new safeguards to ensure consumers are treated fairly in debt collection cases. The bill would require debt collectors to show evidence that a debt is owed and give consumers clear information about their legal rights.
House Bill 2033 (sponsored by state Rep. Nate Davidson) would require the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture to conduct food safety inspections at state and county correctional facilities and make the results publicly available. The measure would help ensure safe food-handling practices for incarcerated individuals and correctional staff.
House Bill 2136 (sponsored by state Rep. Emily Kinkead) would require state correctional facilities to honor existing medical diagnoses so incarcerated individuals do not lose access to ongoing treatment. The measure would help ensure consistent and appropriate health care in state prisons.
“A person’s pre-existing medical condition does not change, even if the person enters the criminal justice system,” said Kinkead, D-Allegheny. “This bill would ensure that incarcerated Pennsylvanians have their medical diagnoses recognized by the Department of Corrections and continue to receive the medical care that they need. After all, how we treat people who are in our custody and control says more about us than it does about them.”
House Bill 2281 (sponsored by Briggs) would allow people with prior convictions who have completed their sentences and are no longer under court supervision to serve on juries. The bill would help ensure juries better reflect Pennsylvania communities while expanding opportunities for civic participation.
House Bill 2344 (sponsored by state Reps. Jason Ortitay and Scott Conklin) would protect victims of financial abuse by allowing them to challenge coerced debts and stopping collection actions if the debt is proven not to have been voluntary.
House Bill 2035 (sponsored by state Rep. Carl Metzgar) would allow older deeds and mortgages with minor paperwork errors to be corrected without disrupting property ownership. The measure would help avoid problems when transferring or selling real estate.
Senate Bill 779 (sponsored by state Sen. Joe Picozzi) would strengthen protections for drivers who need a tow after an accident, breakdown, or other emergency. The bill would help prevent predatory towing practices and give law enforcement additional tools to protect consumers from unfair charges and other abuses.
“Whether improving law enforcement accountability, protecting consumers, ensuring humane treatment in our correctional facilities, or expanding civic participation, each of these bills seeks to make our laws work better for Pennsylvanians,” Briggs said. “I look forward to working with my colleagues to advance these measures and continue strengthening our justice system.”
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