Pennsylvania 2025-2026 Regular Session

Pennsylvania Senate Bill SB46

Introduced
1/22/25  

Caption

An Act providing for adoption by the Attorney General of a Statewide model policy related to the prevention of excessive force by law enforcement officers and school security personnel.

Summary

SB46 would require the Pennsylvania Attorney General to adopt a statewide model policy aimed at preventing excessive force by law enforcement officers and school security personnel. Based on the caption, the bill is focused on creating a uniform policy framework rather than directly regulating every local agency through separate standards, with the Attorney General serving as the central adopting authority. The measure appears intended to promote consistent training, guidance, and use-of-force expectations across police and school security settings. Because the bill text was not available in the provided materials, the precise scope of the policy, enforcement mechanisms, and any implementation deadlines cannot be confirmed from the record provided.

Impact

If enacted, SB46 would affect state law by directing the Attorney General to establish a statewide model policy on excessive force prevention, likely influencing law-enforcement agencies, school districts, and school security personnel that adopt or are guided by the model. It would not, based on the caption alone, appear to create a standalone criminal offense or civil remedy, but rather a statewide policy standard that could shape agency procedures, training, and oversight practices.

Sentiment

The available record shows no committee transcript and no recorded votes, so there is no direct evidence of debate, support, or opposition in the materials provided. The bill’s subject matter suggests a public-safety and accountability rationale, but the sentiment cannot be reliably characterized beyond noting that it was referred to the Senate Law & Justice Committee on January 22, 2025.

Contention

No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials. In general, bills of this type can raise questions about state versus local control, the degree of discretion given to the Attorney General, how broadly “excessive force” is defined, and whether the policy would impose new training or compliance burdens on police departments and school security personnel; however, those issues are not confirmed here because no discussion transcript was provided.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

PA SR79

Condemns police brutality and excessive use of force by law enforcement officers.

PA A3712

Requires Attorney General to establish model duty-to-intervene policy for law enforcement officers; requires entities that employ law enforcement officers to adopt duty-to-intervene policy.

PA A2776

Requires Attorney General to revise law enforcement use of force policy; implements certain reforms.

PA S3757

Requires Attorney General to revise law enforcement use of force policy; implements certain reforms.

PA HB1219

An Act to amend and reenact §§ 9.1-102 and 19.2-60.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to use of unmanned aircraft systems by law-enforcement officers; search warrants; model policy.

PA SB279

In employees, providing for use of force and deadly force policy for law enforcement agencies; imposing duties on the Municipal Police Officers' Education and Training Commission; and making an editorial change.

PA H1371

Law Enforcement Officers and Other Personnel

PA S06111

Relates to justifying the use of force by police officers and peace officers and to the excessive use of police force.

PA S1004

Permits school districts to employ safe schools resource officers or Class Three special law enforcement officers for security purposes, and requires school districts to have agreement with local law enforcement governing placement of school security personnel.

PA A246

Permits school districts to employ safe schools resource officers or Class Three special law enforcement officers for security purposes, and requires school districts to have agreement with local law enforcement governing placement of school security personnel.

Similar Bills

No similar bills found.