5 bills signed into law this week

In addition to an executive order on permitting, Gov. Josh Shapiro signed several bills into law this week – likely the last new laws of this legislative session. 

The now-enacted bills address a wide range of issues, from the practice of license plate-flipping to laws governing motorcycles. City & State rounds up five of the new laws and what they’ll mean for commonwealth residents. 

Banning license plate-flipping devices

Shapiro signed House Bill 2426 – now Act 150 of 2024 – which bans the use of license plate-flipping devices in the commonwealth. The devices in question allow people to conceal license plates, modify the appearance of plates, or switch between two license plates. The bill’s sponsors, in a memo to colleagues, wrote that the flipping devices can be used to avoid tolls and evade identification when driving recklessly. 

The new law makes it a summary offense to possess or operate a vehicle with a flipping device. Violators will be subject to a $2,000 fine under the new statute.

A memorial monument in Harrisburg for Gold Star families

Another bill signed into law this week was House Bill 71, sponsored by state Rep. Joe Kerwin, which directs the Pennsylvania Department of General Services to facilitate the construction of a “Gold Star Families Memorial Monument” dedicated to families who have lost an immediate family member during active-duty military service. 

According to the bill, the monument will be located in an “​​area lying South of the Forum Building, East of the Speaker K. Leroy Irvis Office Building and North of Walnut Street on the grounds of the State Capitol.”

An effort to prevent animal abuse

Act 146 of 2024, which was introduced as House Bill 1210 by Democratic state Rep. Christina Sappey, will now allow courts to grant temporary ownership rights for pets and companion animals as part of abuse proceedings. The new law also allows courts to order defendants to refrain from possessing, contacting and relocating the animal. 

The legislation, according to a co-sponsorship memo, was introduced to limit abuse against pets, as domestic violence situations can also lead to abuse against a person’s pet. 

Two new motorcycle laws

Shapiro signed two bills this week related to motorcycles and motorcycle use in the state. One of the bills, House Bill 2177, will now allow motorcycles to be inspected year-round, replacing the current timeframe on the books, which only allows motorcycle inspections between March and October. The entirety of the new law will take effect in 60 days. 

The second piece of legislation, Senate Bill 155, adds motorcycles to the state’s Automobile Lemon Law, which currently requires automobile manufacturers to repair or correct defects that impair the use, value or safety of the vehicle, according to PennDOT. The law covers defects that occur within one year after delivery, within the first 12,000 miles of use, or the term of the manufacturer’s express warranty – whichever comes first.