SB 302 — An Act amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in protection from abuse, further providing for commencement of proceedings.

PRINTER'S NO.   236

                      THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         SENATE BILL
                         No. 302
                                                 Session of
                                                   2025

     INTRODUCED BY BAKER, BROWN, COSTA, J. WARD AND STEFANO,
        FEBRUARY 25, 2025

     REFERRED TO JUDICIARY, FEBRUARY 25, 2025


                                      AN ACT
 1   Amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania
 2      Consolidated Statutes, in protection from abuse, further
 3      providing for commencement of proceedings.
 4      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 5   hereby enacts as follows:
 6      Section 1.     Section 6106(d), (e) and (f) of Title 23 of the
 7   Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended to read:
 8   § 6106.    Commencement of proceedings.
 9      * * *
10      (d)    Surcharge on order.--When a protection order is granted
11   under section 6107(a), other than pursuant to an agreement of
12   the parties, a surcharge of $100 shall be assessed against the
13   defendant. All moneys received from surcharges shall be
14   distributed in the following order of priority:
15             (1)   $25 shall be forwarded to the Commonwealth and shall
16      be appropriated to the Pennsylvania State Police to establish
17      and maintain the Statewide registry of protection orders
18      provided for in section 6105 (relating to responsibilities of
 1      law enforcement agencies).
 2             (1.1)   $25 shall be distributed as follows:
 3                   (i)    If an appropriate law enforcement agency serves
 4             the defendant with the order, $25 shall be forwarded to
 5             the appropriate law enforcement agency who serves the
 6             defendant with the order.
 7                   (ii)    If the sheriff serves the defendant with the
 8             order, $25 shall be retained by the county and shall be
 9             used by the sheriff to carry out the provisions of this
10             chapter.
11             (2)   [$50] $25 shall be retained by the county and shall
12      be used by the court to carry out the provisions of this
13      chapter [as follows:
14                   (i)    $25 shall be used by the sheriff.
15                   (ii)    $25 shall be used by the court].
16             (3)   $25 shall be forwarded to the Department of [Public
17      Welfare] Human Services for use for victims of domestic
18      violence in accordance with the provisions of section 2333 of
19      the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known as The
20      Administrative Code of 1929.
21      * * *
22      [(e)    Court to adopt means of service.--The court shall adopt
23   a means of prompt and effective service in those instances where
24   the plaintiff avers that service cannot be safely effected by an
25   adult individual other than a law enforcement officer or where
26   the court so orders.]
27      (f)    Service [by sheriff].--[If the court so orders, the
28   sheriff or other designated agency or individual shall serve the
29   petition and order.] The court shall adopt a means of prompt and
30   effective service and order that the sheriff or appropriate law

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1   enforcement agency serve the petition and order.
2      * * *
3      Section 2.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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