Pennsylvania 2025_0 Regular Session Status: In Committee 4 D cosponsors

HB 1673 — An Act amending Title 44 (Law and Justice) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for prohibition on law enforcement use of chemical weapons.

Last action — Referred to JUDICIARY, June 30, 2025

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed House
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill is in committee in the House. Introduced June 30, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee vote, then a floor vote in the House.

Prognosis

Stalled 22% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Low

How often bills like it became law.

  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 4 sponsors

    1 primary, 3 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (4 D).

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Summary

Prohibiting Law Enforcement from Using Crowd Control Agents

Bill Text

How this bill changes current law

8 changes Share ↗

Compared against the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes as published AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill adds a prohibition on the use of chemical weapons by law enforcement agencies and peace officers in Pennsylvania.

  • 44 Pa.C.S. § 901

    This chapter relates to the prohibition on law enforcement use of chemical weapons.

    Establishes the scope of the new chapter relating to the prohibition on chemical weapons use.

  • 44 Pa.C.S. § 902

    The following words and phrases when used in this chapter shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: "Chemical weapon." The following: (1) Tear or noxious gas as defined in 18 Pa.C.S. § 2708(b) (relating to use of tear or noxious gas in labor disputes), including chlorobenzalmalononitrile or oleoresin capsicum. (2) Mace. (3) A pepper ball. (4) A pepper spray. (5) Any chemical compound intended to incapacitate an individual or cause pain, discomfort or any other form of harm to an individual.

    Defines 'chemical weapon' within the context of the chapter.

  • 44 Pa.C.S. § 902

    "Crowd control." Directing the manner in which the public gathers together at a planned or impromptu event and moves at and around the event terrain.

    Provides a definition for 'crowd control'.

  • 44 Pa.C.S. § 902

    "Kinetic impact projectile." An item shot from a type of gun, launcher or other projectile weapon used for crowd control by a law enforcement agency, including: (1) A rubber or plastic bullet. (2) A bean bag round. (3) A sponge round. (4) A pellet round. (5) Any other similar item used by law enforcement.

    Defines 'kinetic impact projectile'.

  • 44 Pa.C.S. § 902

    "Law enforcement agency." Any of the following: (1) The Pennsylvania State Police. (2) The Pennsylvania Capitol Police. (3) The Harrisburg International Airport Police. (4) An airport authority police department. (5) A county park police force under 16 Pa.C.S. § 16511(b) (relating to employees and police). (6) A public agency of a political subdivision having general police powers and charged with making arrests in connection with the enforcement of the criminal or traffic laws, including the sheriff's office in a county of the second class. (7) A campus police or university police department. (8) A railroad or street railway police department. (9) Any other individual or entity authorized to exercise peace officer powers within this Commonwealth.

    Defines 'law enforcement agency'.

  • 44 Pa.C.S. § 902

    "Peace officer." As defined in 18 Pa.C.S. § 501 (relating to definitions).

    References the existing definition of 'peace officer' from current law.

  • 44 Pa.C.S. § 903

    Except as provided under subsection (b), a law enforcement agency or peace officer may not do the following: (1) Use, deploy or threaten to use or deploy kinetic impact projectiles into a crowd or gathering of individuals for any reason or as a means to control the activity or movement of a gathering of individuals. (2) Use, deploy or threaten to use or deploy a chemical weapon in any situation.

    Prohibits the use of chemical weapons and kinetic impact projectiles by law enforcement agencies and peace officers.

  • 44 Pa.C.S. § 903

    A law enforcement agency or peace officer may use pepper spray if the following conditions are met: (1) An individual is actively combative, physically threatening and ignoring or resisting the verbal commands and warnings of a peace officer. (2) The behavior of the individual is causing imminent danger of injury or death to a peace officer or another individual. (3) The peace officer has given at least two verbal warnings to the individual that the peace officer will use pepper spray if the individual does not cease the behavior which has placed a peace officer or another individual in imminent danger of injury or death.

    Establishes exceptions under which a law enforcement agency or peace officer can use pepper spray.

Action History

  1. Referred to JUDICIARY, June 30, 2025

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 3 co-sponsors · 249 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (3)

Not signed on (249)

249 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

public-safety civil-rights
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does HB 1673 do?
Prohibiting Law Enforcement from Using Crowd Control Agents
Who sponsors HB 1673?
HB 1673 is sponsored by Christopher M. Rabb (Democratic), Joe Webster (Democratic), Elizabeth Fiedler (Democratic), and G. Roni Green (Democratic).
What is the current status of HB 1673?
This bill is in committee in the House. Introduced June 30, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track HB 1673?
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