HB 2143 — An Act amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in sentencing, providing for animal abuse list.

PRINTER'S NO.    2768

                      THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                          HOUSE BILL
                          No. 2143
                                                 Session of
                                                   2026

     INTRODUCED BY TOMLINSON, PROBST, CURRY, McNEILL, MARCELL,
        SAPPEY, JAMES AND DOUGHERTY, JANUARY 14, 2026

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, JANUARY 14, 2026


                                      AN ACT
 1   Amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the
 2      Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in sentencing, providing
 3      for animal abuse list.
 4      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 5   hereby enacts as follows:
 6      Section 1.     Title 42 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
 7   Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
 8   § 9778.    Animal abuse list.
 9      (a)    Maintenance and posting.--Beginning January 1, 2027, the
10   Pennsylvania State Police shall maintain and post a list on a
11   publicly accessible Internet website that includes individuals
12   convicted on or after the effective date of this subsection of
13   an animal abuse offense.
14      (b)    Identifying information.--
15             (1)   The list shall include a photograph taken of the
16      individual convicted of an animal abuse offense as part of
17      the booking process, the individual's full legal name and
18      other identifying data as the Pennsylvania State Police
 1      determines is necessary to properly identify the individual
 2      and to exclude innocent individuals.
 3            (2)   The list shall not include the individual's Social
 4      Security number, driver's license number or any other Federal
 5      or State identification number.
 6      (c)   Judgment.--A clerk of court shall forward a copy of the
 7   judgment and date of birth of an individual convicted of an
 8   animal abuse offense to the Pennsylvania State Police within 60
 9   calendar days of the date of the judgment.
10      (d)   Timing and removal.--
11            (1)   Upon an individual's first conviction for an animal
12      abuse offense, the Pennsylvania State Police shall maintain
13      the individual's name and other identifying information, as
14      described under subsection (b), on the list for two years
15      following the date of conviction, after which time the
16      Pennsylvania State Police shall remove the individual's name
17      and identifying information from the list if the individual
18      is not convicted of another animal abuse offense during that
19      two-year period.
20            (2)   Upon an individual's subsequent conviction for an
21      animal abuse offense, the Pennsylvania State Police shall
22      maintain the individual's name and other identifying
23      information, as described under subsection (b), on the list
24      for five years following the date of the most recent
25      conviction, after which time the Pennsylvania State Police
26      shall remove the individual's name and identifying
27      information from the list if the individual is not convicted
28      of another animal abuse offense during that five-year period.
29      (e)   Expungement.--The Pennsylvania State Police shall remove
30   an individual's name and identifying information from the list

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 1   if the offense for which the individual is included on the list
 2   is expunged.
 3      (f)     Regulations.--The Pennsylvania State Police may
 4   promulgate rules and regulations necessary to implement this
 5   section.
 6      (g)     Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
 7   words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
 8   subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
 9      "Animal."     A companion animal or non-livestock animal.
10      "Animal abuse offense."     An offense under 18 Pa.C.S. Ch. 55
11   Subch. B (relating to cruelty to animals).
12      "Companion animal."     A dog or cat.
13      "Conviction."     A judgment entered by a court upon a plea of
14   guilty, a plea of nolo contendere or a finding of guilt by a
15   jury or the court, notwithstanding any pending appeal or habeas
16   corpus proceeding arising from the judgment.
17      "List."     The list maintained and posted by the Pennsylvania
18   State Police under subsection (a).
19      Section 2.     This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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