Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility Judiciary Committee advances bills to protect privacy, improve public safety

Judiciary Committee advances bills to protect privacy, improve public safety

Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus    October 15, 2026 | 10:19 AM

Judiciary Committee advances bills to protect privacy, improve public safety

HARRISBURG, Oct. 15 – House Judiciary Committee Chair Rep. Tim Briggs today announced the committee recently approved four bills during two meetings, advancing legislation addressing drivers’ privacy, missing-person investigations, sexual assault evidence collection and the dissemination of booking photographs.

House Bill 2771, sponsored by Rep. Jennifer O’Mara, would protect drivers’ privacy by setting rules for how government agencies use automated license plate readers. The bill would limit what agencies can do with the information they collect, prevent it from being improperly shared and require the information to be deleted after a certain period of time.

Senate Bill 1273, sponsored by Sen. Camera Bartolotta, would allow police to use Pennsylvania Turnpike toll records to help find abducted children and missing people when an AMBER or missing endangered person alert has been issued. Giving law enforcement access to this information could provide another important tool to help locate someone quickly and bring them home safely.

Senate Bill 1212, sponsored by Sen. Tracy Pennycuick, would make it easier to track sexual assault evidence kits and ensure they are handled consistently by law enforcement. The bill would also clarify which evidence is considered “awaiting testing,” giving Pennsylvanians a clearer picture of how many kits still need to be tested.

House Bill 2840, sponsored by Briggs, would prevent people from demanding or accepting payment to remove or keep booking photographs from being published. It also would give people a way to request that their booking photo be removed and destroyed if their criminal history is no longer publicly available.

“Each of these bills addresses a specific issue involving public safety, privacy, accountability or the administration of justice,” Briggs said. “I appreciate the members of the Judiciary Committee for their work during our two meetings this week and look forward to seeing these bills receive further consideration by the full House.”

The bills now head to the full House for further consideration. 


 

###rjb/2026/ll
l:\print\releases\

CONTACT: Ryan Bevitz
House Democratic Communications Office
Phone: 717-787-7895
Email: rbevitz@pahouse.net