21 ways Pa. lawmakers changed your life for 2021 and beyond

• Jan Murphy/PennLive
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  I cover state government and basic and higher education policy. Reach me at JMurphy@pennlive.com or at 717-255-4106 or 717-255-4106.

(Harrisburg) — The 2019-20 legislative session will no doubt be the remembered for measures that lawmakers debated relating to the COVID-19 pandemic and the turmoil arising out of the presidential election. But new laws of other significance made it on the books that will have lasting impact long after a vaccine has been widely distributed and those objecting to the results of the 2020 presidential election will have moved on to a new fight.

In fact, 258 general pieces of legislation were enacted over the past two years – 12 more than the prior two years.

These new laws cover a broad array of issues; some more interesting and having a wider impact than others.

As we look ahead to 2021, we selected 21 new laws to highlight during the legislative session that ended on Nov. 30. Some of these laws move Pennsylvania into a different place as we progress deeper into the 21st century.

Move over: Come May 2, Pennsylvania motorists will have to abide by a new rule of the road intended to protect the lives of first responders and tow truck operators at emergency scenes. It requires motorists to move to an adjacent lane as they approach an emergency response area, such as a traffic stop by law enforcement or disabled vehicle marked by two hazard indicators. If that’s not possible, this law requires motorists to slow down to a speed of no more than 20 miles per hour less than the posted speed limit. Failure to do so is costly and puts points on your license. Too many people simply doing their job have lost their lives.

Robotic deliveries: Getting packages delivered by robots? Is this the 21st century or what? Starting on Jan. 27, Pennsylvanians may see their packages arrive at their doorstep via a personal delivery device. These machines operated autonomously or remotely can deliver packages to consumers and businesses within a small radius, which spares Pennsylvanians from the uncertainty about whether you should tip the delivery person.

Ending child marriage: Pennsylvania set 18 as the minimum age to obtain a marriage license. For the record, the state previously permitted anyone to enter into marriage younger than 16 with court approval and those between 16 and 18 could obtain a marriage license with the consent of a parent. The rationale behind the law is to prevent child exploitation for those who likely were forced to marry younger. And along the same lines …

Cracking down on human trafficking: Lawmakers imposed tougher penalties for people who engage in human trafficking and those who knowingly patronize victims of human trafficking. A new law passed this year elevates this crime to a first-degree felony, increases fines and prison times, and changes the definition of child to include anyone under age 18 instead of age 16.

Police reforms: The killing of George Floyd while in police custody on a Minneapolis street gave impetus to making two new laws affecting law enforcement in Pennsylvania. Among other things, they strengthen police training on use of deadly force and de-escalation tactics, require mental health evaluations with a focus on post-traumatic stress disorder for officers and ensure more due diligence is done in police hiring decisions. As part of this new law, an electronic database is being created to store records detailing why a law enforcement officer left a department that other police agencies review when looking to hire an officer, all in the name of making sure those who wear the badge deserve to.

Keeping student athletes alive: Mechanicsburg area native Peyton Walker lost her life due to a sudden cardiac arrest and her parents hope to prevent others from experiencing a similar heartache. A new law, named after Peyton, ensures student-athletes and their parents and guardians are made aware of the importance of having an electrocardiogram, or EKG testing, before participating in a sport. It doesn’t mandate student-athletes have an EKG but getting this reminder on the PIAA pre-sport participation form may give the athletes and parents some food for thought.

Fire prevention in child care settings: As a result of a law that took effect last summer, now all child care centers and family day care homes must have an operable fire detection device or system and keep it properly maintained. Sadly, five children at an Erie child care center died in a fire last year, which brought to light this deficiency in the law as it relates to fire safety in these child care settings.

Reforming state universities: Pennsylvania’s state universities could take on a new look going forward. A law grants the governing board of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education a freer rein for the next three years to make changes to the 14 state-owned universities to help them all get on sounder financial footing. This law allows for mergers, consolidations and shared services to occur at all campuses, except West Chester and Indiana University of Pennsylvania. The only thing that can’t happen is the closure of any campus. With the way system officials took this ball and ran with it, some schools very well could end up looking – and operating – quite differently by the time this license for change expires.

Newborn screening: Come May 24, 2021, babies born in Pennsylvania will be screened for every disorder recommended by the federal government and the Pennsylvania Newborn Screening and Technical Advisory Board. That means the more than 130,000 babies born in this state every year will be required to be tested for 37 disorders at birth – triple the mandated number currently, according to the Pennsylvania Rare Disease Advisory Council. It also requires health providers to screen for any future disorders that the advisory board identifies. It’s all about protecting Pennsylvania’s newest citizens and detecting and treating disorders early because if left untreated, the consequences can be devastating and even deadly.

Second chances: The state’s occupational licensing laws were altered to remove an obstacle that hindered ex-offenders’ chances at finding employment. A new law states that individuals with criminal records can only be denied an occupational license if their conviction is directly related to the practice of the profession they wish to perform or if their criminal conviction poses a substantial risk to the health and safety of their clients or co-workers. As Board of Pardons Secretary Brandon Flood put it, “These are folks who made mistakes, done what they needed to do and are asking for a hand up, not a hand out.”

Clean Slate II: In another show of believing people deserve second chances, a new law that takes effect Dec. 28 augments the state’s 2018 Clean Slate law. It expands the criterion used to determine eligibility to have criminal records automatically sealed to include those who have been unconditionally pardoned or fully acquitted following a trial and those with outstanding court-ordered financial obligations, although restitution to victims still must be paid to be eligible for a criminal record to be sealed.

Official amphibian: Pennsylvania’s school children have one more state symbol to learn about: the state amphibian. Lawmakers saw fit to name the Eastern hellbender, an aquatic salamander that can grow 2 feet in length and is found in certain state waterways, as the official state amphibian. While not the most attractive looking creature or one with the most alluring nickname (snot otter), it does carry some appeal in that it needs clean, well-oxygenated, fast-flowing water to survive.

Pension forfeiture: Lawmakers moved t0 close a loophole in the state pension forfeiture law that allowed former Democratic Sen. Robert Mellow to collect his $245,000 a year pension after doing time for a federal conspiracy conviction because that charge wasn’t listed in that state law as a forfeitable crime. Now, this law – the first to be enacted in the 2019-20 session – cuts off pension benefits to elected public officials and public employees who commit a job-related felony offense or one punishable by more than five years in prison. So consider that loophole sewn shut.

Election reforms: Pennsylvania saw the most substantial reform to its election laws in more than 80 years – and something so historic undoubtedly would have pitfalls. And it did. This new law eliminated straight-party voting and allowed voters to cast ballots by mail without needing an excuse. Lawmakers in both parties supported the bill. More than 2.6 million voters cast ballots by mail in the November election. But the new vote-by-mail option proved to be a cottage industry for election law lawyers during the 2020 election cycle and without question, put more election reform on the next Legislature’s to-do list.

Trapped in a hot car: Strangely, Pennsylvania passed a law granting immunity to rescue dogs or other animals stuck in a car in extreme temperatures before giving those same protections to anyone who rescues children or other  individuals at risk of illness or injury trapped in a vehicle on a frigid or sweltering day. But that has been fixed. Now that immunity applies to both situations, provided certain rules are followed, such as making sure the person inside the vehicle is in imminent danger and you don’t go ex-lover crazy and tear the vehicle completely apart in the process of freeing its occupant.

Pennsylvania’s GI Bill: Seeing a lagging number of National Guardsmen re-enlist was becoming a problem, so policymakers came up with an idea to keep them around. By re-upping for another six years, Guardsmen can now receive up to 10 semesters of post-secondary tuition assistance for a spouse and/or family member. The hope is this benefit will entice more high-level, highly trained Guardsmen to re-enlist.

School staying power: For decades, Pennsylvania actually only required students to be in school for nine years, not the 12 or 13 many may have thought. But that party’s over for those who don’t like school. This legislative session brought a lowering of the state’s compulsory school attendance age to 6 years old from 8, which had been the mandatory starting age for decades. Lawmakers also raised the dropout age from 17 years old to 18, giving students an extra year to figure out what they want to do with their lives.

Juneteenth: Pennsylvania is now among the states that commemorates the emancipation of black slaves in America by recognizing June 19th as Juneteenth National Freedom Day. Along with using it as a day to pause and remember the significance of that historic moment in our nation’s history, some employers see it as a reason to give workers a day off in June. While employers aren’t compelled to recognize it as an official holiday, they can and Gov. Tom Wolf did for the state employees working under his jurisdiction for the first time in 2020.

Ending cash assistance: Pennsylvania once again saw an end to its cash assistance program that Gov. Tom Wolf revived for a few months after a 2019 court ruling declared a law repealing it as unconstitutional. But this second successful attempt to kill the program — which gave about $200 to the state’s poorest residents — produced one of the legislative session’s most memorable moments. It all went down on the Senate floor when bedlam broke out. Republican and Democratic lawmakers shouted over each other, Democrats stormed out of the chamber, and the president pro tempore seized the rostrum to restore order. Needless to say, this scene captured national attention that may have embarrassed some, while others saw it as a fitting fight for the underdogs in our society.

Raising minimum age for tobacco purchase: Pennsylvania made “smoking in the boys room” or practically anywhere on school grounds more difficult during this legislative session. It became the 19th state in America to raise its minimum age for buying tobacco products. Now, you have to be 21 (or 18 if you are an active member of the military or a veteran with an honorable discharge) to buy these products. Not only that, this law also put the kibosh on teachers and all other adult employees and visitors from using or possessing tobacco products on school grounds, but allowed local boards to designate an outdoor smoking area for non-students.

Getting justice for child sexual abuse victims: Pennsylvania once again came into the national spotlight following the release of an 18-month-long grand jury investigation report into clergy sex abuse of children in six of Pennsylvania’s eight Roman Catholic dioceses. The grand jury recommended some legislative changes which launched a hard-fought legislative battle that resulted in some success for those looking to help future victims of child sexual abuse get justice. A new law abolished the state’s criminal statute of limitations on childhood sexual abuse and extended the civil statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse until the victim reaches age 55, among other changes. What it didn’t do was temporarily lift time limits in state law that bar now-adult victims of child sexual abuse from suing their perpetrators and institutions that may have helped hide it. However, this campaign did get the ball rolling on a constitutional amendment that would accomplish that goal, but it requires passage by the House and Senate in the 2021-22 legislative session and ratification by voters. So stay tuned for more on that next session.

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This story originally appeared at pennlive.com.