An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in arson, criminal mischief and other property destruction, further providing for the offense of arson and related offenses.
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Progress
Where this bill stands in the legislative process.
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Overview
This bill amends Pennsylvania’s criminal code to clarify the definition of ‘arson’ and related offenses, specifically addressing the actions of first responders during a fire. It defines ‘actively engaged in fighting the fire’ to include a broader range of activities performed by firefighters, such as detection, response, extinguishment, and assisting with suppression efforts. The bill also explicitly excludes fundraising activities from this definition.
Key provisions
- Defines ‘actively engaged in fighting the fire’ to encompass various firefighter actions.
- Includes efforts to detect fires, firefighting response, and extinguishment within the definition.
- Broadens the definition to include assistance with suppression, such as traffic control.
- Specifically excludes fundraising for firefighter services from the definition.
- Addresses activities by first responders as a result of arson.
Who is affected
- Firefighters
- First Responders
- Criminal defendants
- Law enforcement
- The legal system
Notable changes
- Expands the definition of ‘actively engaged in fighting the fire’ to include a wider range of first responder activities.
- Provides clearer legal guidance regarding the actions of first responders during arson incidents.
Bill text
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Document of record
- Version
- Pn 1854 Html
- Published
- Not published in the source record
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Sponsors
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8 on record
Primary sponsor
Cosponsors
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