Pennsylvania 2025_0 Regular Session Status: Passed Senate 6 R cosponsors

SB 686 — An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in falsification and intimidation, further providing for the offense of tampering with public records or information.

Last action — Re-referred to COMMERCE, Dec. 15, 2025

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

This bill has passed the Senate. Introduced April 28, 2025. It now moves to the second chamber.

Next likely step: consideration and a floor vote in the House.

Prognosis

Advancing 58% · moderate confidence

  • Passed Senate

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 6 sponsors

    1 primary, 5 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (6 R).

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 1 recorded vote so far.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

Summary

Destruction of Right-to-Know Documents Criminal Offense

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

18 added · 33 removed

Plain-language change summary

The recent amendment to Bill SB 686 introduces a new section under Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law, which establishes that intentionally altering or destroying public records in response to information requests is now classified as a felony. This change highlights the importance of maintaining the integrity of public information and ensures that individuals who undermine transparent access to records face serious legal consequences. The amendment aims to discourage tampering and protect citizens' rights to obtain information from government entities.

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PRIOR PRINTER'S NO.
PRINTER'S NO.
675 PRINTER'S NO.
675 THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA SENATE BILL Session of No.
755 THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA SENATE BILL Session of 2025 No.
686 2025 INTRODUCED BY DUSH, ROTHMAN, COLEMAN, PHILLIPS-HILL, STEFANO AND J.
INTRODUCED BY DUSH, ROTHMAN, COLEMAN, PHILLIPS-HILL, STEFANO AND J.
WARD, APRIL 28, 2025 REFERRED TO STATE GOVERNMENT, APRIL 28, 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;
WARD, APRIL 28, 2025 SENATOR DUSH, STATE GOVERNMENT, AS AMENDED, MAY 6, 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;
AMENDING TITLE 18 (CRIMES AND OFFENSES) OF THE PENNSYLVANIA <-- FURTHER PROVIDING FOR THE OFFENSE OF TAMPERING WITH PUBLIC RECORDS OR INFORMATION.
The act of February 14, 2008 (P.L.6, No.3), known <-- as the Right-to-Know Law, is amended by adding a section to read:
The act of February 14, 2008 (P.L.6, No.3), known as the Right-to-Know Law, is amended by adding a section to read:
SECTION 1.
SECTION 4911(B) OF TITLE 18 OF THE PENNSYLVANIA <-- CONSOLIDATED STATUTES IS AMENDED TO READ:
§ 4911.
TAMPERING WITH PUBLIC RECORDS OR INFORMATION.
* * * (B) GRADING.--AN OFFENSE UNDER THIS SECTION IS A MISDEMEANOR OF THE SECOND DEGREE UNLESS THE RECORD, DOCUMENT OR THING IS THE SUBJECT OF A CURRENT REQUEST OR APPEAL UNDER THE ACT OF FEBRUARY 14, 2008 (P.L.6, NO.3), KNOWN AS THE RIGHT-TO-KNOW LAW, OR THE INTENT OF THE ACTOR IS TO DEFRAUD OR INJURE ANYONE, IN WHICH CASE THE OFFENSE IS A FELONY OF THE THIRD DEGREE.
20250SB0686PN0755 - 2 -
20250SB0686PN0675 - 2 -
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Action History

  1. Re-referred to COMMERCE, Dec. 15, 2025

  2. Reported with request to re-refer to COMMERCE, Dec. 15, 2025

  3. Referred to INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS AND OPERATIONS, June 5, 2025

  4. In the House

  5. (Remarks see Senate Journal Page 476-477), June 4, 2025

  6. Third consideration and final passage, June 4, 2025 (31-18)

  7. Second consideration, May 12, 2025

  8. First consideration, May 6, 2025

  9. Reported as amended, May 6, 2025

  10. Referred to STATE GOVERNMENT, April 28, 2025

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 5 co-sponsors · 247 not signed on · 18 voted No

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (5)

Not signed on (247)

247 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 247 →

"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

Votes

Final Passage

Passed 31 Yea · 18 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 27000
Democratic 41701
Unaffiliated 0100
Total 311801
% of votes cast 62%36%0%2%
How each member voted (50)
Member Party Vote
Anthony Williams — Nay
Amanda M. Cappelletti Democratic Nay
Art Haywood Democratic Not Voting
Carolyn T. Comitta Democratic Nay
Christine M. Tartaglione Democratic Nay
James Andrew Malone Democratic Nay
Jay Costa Democratic Nay
John I. Kane Democratic Nay
Judith L. Schwank Democratic Nay
Katie J. Muth Democratic Yea
Lindsey M. Williams Democratic Nay
Lisa M. Boscola Democratic Yea
Maria Collett Democratic Nay
Marty Flynn Democratic Yea
Nick Miller Democratic Yea
Nick Pisciottano Democratic Nay
Nikil Saval Democratic Nay
Patty Kim Democratic Nay
Sharif Street Democratic Nay
Steven J. Santarsiero Democratic Nay
Timothy P. Kearney Democratic Nay
Vincent J. Hughes Democratic Nay
Wayne D. Fontana Democratic Nay
Camera Bartolotta Republican Yea
Chris Gebhard Republican Yea
Cris Dush Republican Yea
Daniel Laughlin Republican Yea
David G. Argall Republican Yea
Dawn W. Keefer Republican Yea
Devlin J. Robinson Republican Yea
Doug Mastriano Republican Yea
Elder A. Vogel Republican Yea
Frank A. Farry Republican Yea
Gene Yaw Republican Yea
Greg Rothman Republican Yea
Jarrett Coleman Republican Yea
Joe Picozzi Republican Yea
Joe Pittman Republican Yea
Judy Ward Republican Yea
Kim L. Ward Republican Yea
Kristin Phillips-Hill Republican Yea
Lisa Baker Republican Yea
Lynda Schlegel Culver Republican Yea
Michele Brooks Republican Yea
Patrick J. Stefano Republican Yea
Rosemary M. Brown Republican Yea
Scott E. Hutchinson Republican Yea
Scott Martin Republican Yea
Tracy Pennycuick Republican Yea
Wayne Langerholc Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

public-safety
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 686 do?
Destruction of Right-to-Know Documents Criminal Offense
Who sponsors SB 686?
SB 686 is sponsored by Judy Ward (Republican), Greg Rothman (Republican), Kristin Phillips-Hill (Republican), Patrick J. Stefano (Republican), Jarrett Coleman (Republican), and Cris Dush (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 686?
This bill has passed the Senate. Introduced April 28, 2025. It now moves to the second chamber.
Where can I track SB 686?
Track SB 686 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously

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