Gov Shapiro Signs Six New Bills to Enhance Consumer Fairness, Sustainability, and Digital Security
On Friday, June 28th, Gov Shapiro signed six new bills into law, signaling a significant step toward promoting consumer fairness, environmental sustainability, and digital security. These legislative changes are expected to bring substantial improvements to the lives of state residents.
Consumer Fairness: House Bill 109
House Bill 109, Prime sponsor Rep Joe Ciresi (D), is designed to take the financial burden off grieving families. It kills early termination fees on a bunch of contracts when someone dies. The contracts include cable TV, cell phone, and other telecom services, utilities, and vehicle leases. So now, families who lose someone can close accounts without getting hit with a penalty. That should ease some of the stress during a tough time.
Environmental Sustainability: House Bill 1333
House Bill 1333, Prime sponsor Rep Jason Dawkins (D), amends the 1961 Stuffed Toy Manufacturing Act, allowing for the use of recycled materials in stuffed toys. This is the first update in over 60 years, and it lets toy manufacturers use recycled materials. This change is a sign of the times, reflecting the growing trend of people choosing to buy and use sustainable products. By using eco-friendly materials, Pennsylvania is aligning with the national trend of being responsible with the environment in toy manufacturing.
Enhanced Digital Security: Senate Bill 824
Senate Bill 824, Prime sponsor Sen Tracy Pennycuick (R), makes the state’s Breach of Personal Information Act tougher. It gives residents free credit reports and monitoring services if their data is hacked. In this digital age, this law is crucial to protecting us from cyber threats and making sure our personal information is safe.
Support for Storage Facility Owners: House Bill 1818
House Bill 1818, Prime sponsor Rep Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz (D) updates the 1982 Self-Service Storage Facility Act, giving facility owners the option to post public advertisements about sales on a publicly accessible Internet website that regularly advertises or conducts online sales of personal property. This change offers a safeguard if newspaper advertisements fail to publish on time or contain errors, providing an additional layer of protection for business owners.
Streamlined Professional Licensure: Senate Bill 403
Senate Bill 403, Prime sponsor Sen Lisa Baker (R) removes the existing roadblocks to getting a professional engineer’s license in Pennsylvania. The bill updates the 1945 Engineer, Land Surveyor, and Geologist Registration Law to match the national model law. This change should make it easier for people to pursue careers in these important fields.
Simplified Cemetery Company Regulations: Senate Bill 887
Senate Bill 887, Prime sponsor Sen Scott E. Hutchinson (R) amends regulations for cemetery companies, eliminating certain deposit and registration requirements for municipalities and counties. Here’s the deal: the bill extends exceptions that used to apply only to churches, religious congregations, and their associations, to municipalities. This means that municipalities, as well as churches and religious organizations, don’t have to provide the initial deposits that new cemetery companies usually have to make, and they’re exempt from certain registration requirements. The new law takes effect 60 days after it’s passed.
These six new laws reflect Pennsylvania’s commitment to addressing modern societal needs and concerns. By fostering fairness, enhancing sustainability, and strengthening digital security, these legislative changes aim to improve the quality of life for all residents.