Pennsylvania 2025_0 Regular Session Status: In Committee Bipartisan · 8 R · 2 D cosponsors

SB 431 — An Act amending the act of February 14, 2008 (P.L.6, No.3), known as the Right-to-Know Law, in preliminary provisions, further providing for definitions; and, in procedure, providing for acceptable denials.

Last action — Laid on the table (Pursuant to Senate Rule 9), Feb. 4, 2026

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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 March 21, 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.

  • 10 sponsors

    1 primary, 9 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (8 R · 2 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

Combating Cybersecurity Risks and Artificial Intelligence Right-to-Know Requests

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

23 added · 33 removed

Plain-language change summary

The amendments to Bill SB 431 introduce specific criteria under which agencies can deny electronic records requests. Notably, agencies can refuse a request if they believe it could pose a cybersecurity risk or if there is suspicion that the request was generated by automated systems, including artificial intelligence. The changes clarify that agencies still need to accept requests under certain circumstances, which helps ensure transparency while balancing security concerns. This matters because it aims to protect sensitive information while still allowing public access to records.

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PRIOR PRINTER'S NO.
PRINTER'S NO.
465 PRINTER'S NO.
465 THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA SENATE BILL Session of No.
1281 THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA SENATE BILL Session of No.
431 2025 INTRODUCED BY PENNYCUICK, BROWN, BARTOLOTTA, CULVER, KEARNEY, BAKER, MILLER, STEFANO AND DUSH, MARCH 21, 2025 REFERRED TO COMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY, MARCH 21, 2025 AN ACT Ame"An act providing for access to public information, for ad designated open-records officer in each Commonwealth agency, local agency, judicial agency and legislative agency, for procedure, for appeal of agency determination, for judicial review and for the Office of Open Records;
431 2025 INTRODUCED BY PENNYCUICK, BROWN, BARTOLOTTA, CULVER, KEARNEY, BAKER, MILLER, STEFANO AND DUSH, MARCH 21, 2025 SENATOR PENNYCUICK, COMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY, AS AMENDED, OCTOBER 28, 2025 AN ACT Amending the act of February 14, 2008 (P.L.6, No.3), entitled "An act providing for access to public information, for a designated open-records officer in each Commonwealth agency, local agency, judicial agency and legislative agency, for procedure, for appeal of agency determination, for judicial review and for the Office of Open Records;
requiring the posting of certain State contract preliminary provisions, further providing for definitions;in and, in procedure, providing for acceptable denials.
requiring the posting of certain State contract information on the Internet;
and making related repeals," in and, in procedure, providing for acceptable denials.tions;
(a) Requests submitted by electronic means.--An EXCEPT AS <-- PROVIDED UNDER SUBSECTION (C), AN agency may deny a records request submitted by electronic means if any of the following apply:
(a) Requests submitted by electronic means.--An agency may deny a records request submitted by electronic means if any of the following apply:
(2) The agency has reasonable suspicion that the request 20250SB0431PN1281 - 2 - was automatically generated by a computer program, script, artificial intelligence or generative artificial intelligence.
(2) The agency has reasonable suspicion that the request was automatically generated by a computer program, script, 20250SB0431PN0465 - 2 - artificial intelligence or generative artificial intelligence.
(C) EXCEPTIONS.--SUBSECTION (A) SHALL NOT APPLY TO:
<-- (1) A REQUEST BY AN INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYED BY, OR CONNECTED WITH, A NEWSPAPER OR MAGAZINE OF GENERAL CIRCULATION, WEEKLY PUBLICATION, PRESS ASSOCIATION OR RADIO OR TELEVISION STATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF OBTAINING FOR PUBLICATION OR BROADCAST.
(2) A REQUEST BY A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION FOR THE CONDUCT OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH.
20250SB0431PN1281 - 3 -
20250SB0431PN0465 - 3 -
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How this bill changes current law

4 changes Share ↗

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

The bill adds definitions for 'artificial intelligence' and 'generative artificial intelligence' to the Right-to-Know Law and modifies rules around acceptable denials of records requests.

  • Section 102

    "Artificial intelligence." A machine-based system that can, for a given set of explicit or implicit objectives, make predictions, content, recommendations or decisions influencing real or virtual environments, including the ability to: (1) perceive real and virtual environments; (2) abstract perceptions made under paragraph (1) into models through analysis in an automated manner; and (3) use model inference to formulate options for information or action based on outcomes under paragraphs (1) and (2). "Generative artificial intelligence." The class of models that emulate the structure and characteristics of input data in order to generate derived synthetic content, including information such as images, videos, audio clips or text that has been significantly modified or generated by algorithms, including by artificial intelligence.

    This change introduces specific definitions for artificial intelligence and generative artificial intelligence into the law.

  • Section 709

    EXCEPT AS PROVIDED UNDER SUBSECTION (C),

    This change allows agencies to deny electronic records requests under certain conditions without the preceding clause, which could clarify the intended application of the subsection.

  • Section 709

    (2) The agency has reasonable suspicion that the request was automatically generated by a computer program, script, artificial intelligence or generative artificial intelligence.

    This addition allows agencies to deny requests they suspect are generated by automated systems, enhancing the agency's ability to manage requests.

  • Section 709

    (C) EXCEPTIONS.--SUBSECTION (A) SHALL NOT APPLY TO:

    This addition creates exceptions to the acceptable denials for certain types of requesters, ensuring that media and nonprofit organizations have broader access.

Action History

  1. Laid on the table (Pursuant to Senate Rule 9), Feb. 4, 2026

  2. First consideration, Oct. 28, 2025

  3. Reported as amended, Oct. 28, 2025

  4. Referred to COMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY, March 21, 2025

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 9 co-sponsors · 243 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (9)

Not signed on (243)

243 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 243 →

"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 technology
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 431 do?
Combating Cybersecurity Risks and Artificial Intelligence Right-to-Know Requests
Who sponsors SB 431?
SB 431 is sponsored by Timothy P. Kearney (Democratic), Nick Miller (Democratic), Rosemary M. Brown (Republican), Tracy Pennycuick (Republican), Camera Bartolotta (Republican), Lynda Schlegel Culver (Republican), Lisa Baker (Republican), Patrick J. Stefano (Republican), Cris Dush (Republican), and Michele Brooks (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 431?
This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced March 21, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track SB 431?
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