Pennsylvania 2025_0 Regular Session Status: In Committee Bipartisan · 6 R · 5 D cosponsors

SB 234 — An Act amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in protection from abuse, further providing for emergency relief by minor judiciary.

Last action — Referred to JUDICIARY, Feb. 4, 2025

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

This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced February 04, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

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

Prognosis

Advancing 42% · 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.

  • 11 sponsors

    1 primary, 10 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (6 R · 5 D) — cross-party backing.

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

Extending Emergency Protection from Abuse (PFA) Orders

Bill Text

How this bill changes current law

3 changes Share ↗

AI-generated reading aid from the bill's amendatory text — verify against the official bill.

The bill modifies existing provisions regarding emergency relief by minor judiciary for protection from abuse cases, specifically addressing the expiration of orders and the instructions provided to plaintiffs and defendants.

  • 23 Pa.C.S. § 6110(b)

    An order issued under subsection (a) shall expire at the end of the next business day the court deems itself available[.] → unless a court by local rule provides that orders issued under subsection (a) expire when the court holds a hearing under this chapter or within 10 business days, whichever occurs sooner.

    This change allows for local rules to determine the expiration of emergency orders, providing more flexibility.

  • 23 Pa.C.S. § 6110(d)

    [Upon] → (1) Except in a county where by local rule an order issued under subsection (a) expires when the court holds a hearing under this chapter, upon issuance of an emergency order, the hearing officer shall provide the plaintiff instructions regarding the commencement of proceedings in the court of common pleas at the beginning of the next business day and regarding the procedures for initiating a contempt charge should the defendant violate the emergency order.

    This establishes a distinction in instructions provided to plaintiffs based on whether local rules affect the expiration of emergency orders.

  • 23 Pa.C.S. § 6110(d)

    [Upon] → (2) In a county where by local rule an order issued under subsection (a) expires when the court holds a hearing under this chapter, upon issuance of an emergency order, the hearing officer shall provide both the plaintiff and the defendant notice of the date, time and place of the hearing before the court of common pleas for the issuance of a final order or the continuation of a temporary order and shall provide the plaintiff notice of the procedures for initiating a contempt charge should the defendant violate the emergency order.

    This ensures that both parties are informed about hearing details in counties with specific local rules.

Action History

  1. Referred to JUDICIARY, Feb. 4, 2025

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 10 co-sponsors · 242 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (10)

Not signed on (242)

242 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 SB 234 do?
Extending Emergency Protection from Abuse (PFA) Orders
Who sponsors SB 234?
SB 234 is sponsored by Tracy Pennycuick (Republican), Timothy P. Kearney (Democratic), Frank A. Farry (Republican), Wayne D. Fontana (Democratic), Camera Bartolotta (Republican), Jay Costa (Democratic), Christine M. Tartaglione (Democratic), Patrick J. Stefano (Republican), Cris Dush (Republican), Steven J. Santarsiero (Democratic), and Rosemary M. Brown (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 234?
This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced February 04, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track SB 234?
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Last checked for changes 4 months ago · updated continuously

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