5 New PA Laws Go Into Effect This Month: See The List

PENNSYLVANIA — The number of new laws that were approved in Pennsylvania last year dipped dramatically. Only 65 bills were jointly approved by the House and Senate and then signed by Gov. Josh Shapiro, down from the more than 160 bills approved in 2024.

Five of those 65 laws go into effect this month. They impact parents of school students, motorcyclists, women getting breast cancer screenings, government agencies and those with predominantly ethnic hairstyles.

Here's a closer look at the new laws:

Senate Bill 246: Weapons in Schools

Requires school districts to inform parents or guardians about incidents in which a weapon is brought to school grounds or school related activities. Previously, districts were only required to report to the state Department of Education incidents “relating to expulsions for possession of a weapon on school grounds, school-sponsored activities or public conveyances providing transportation to a school or school-sponsored activity.”

The law goes into effect on Jan. 5.

House Bill 646: Motorcyclist Headphones

Allows motorcycle riders to wear one or more headphones or earphones, or a helmet with those built-in capabilities. Previously, a motorcycle ride was only able to wear a headset that provided sound through one ear in conjunction with a cell phone or other communication device.

The law goes into effect on Jan. 5.

Senate Bill 520: Body Cam Use Expansion

Amends the Wiretap Law that authorizes the use of body cameras by special agents with the state Attorney General's Office, Department of Conservation and Natural Resource rangers and officers and deputies with the Pennsylvania Game and Fish and Boat commissions. Those agencies previously were not permitted to use body-worn cameras.

The law goes into effect on Jan. 23.

Senate Bill 88: Breast Cancer Screening Expansion

Expands the Insurance Company Law of 1921 that requires insurance companies to cover breast cancer screenings for high-risk women. The law mandates that insurance companies must cover screenings and diagnostics with no out-of-pocket costs for not just high-risk women but also average-risk women.

The law goes into effect on Jan. 23.

House Bill 439: The CROWN Act

Prohibits discrimination based on hair texture and protective hairstyles traditionally associated with traditionally associated with race. The Creating a Respectful and Open World For Natural (CROWN) law amends the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act to expand the definition of "face" to include traits historically associated with race, such as hair texture, protective hairstyles and religious creed.

The law goes into effect on Jan. 23.