Pennsylvania 2025-2026 Regular Session

Pennsylvania House Bill HB988 Latest Draft

Bill / Introduced Version

                             
PRINTER'S NO. 1153 
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL 
No.988 
Session of 
2025 
INTRODUCED BY CEPHAS, HOHENSTEIN, PROBST, BURGOS, WAXMAN, HILL-
EVANS, PIELLI, KHAN, GIRAL, SANCHEZ, HOWARD AND HANBIDGE, 
MARCH 26, 2025 
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, MARCH 26, 2025 
AN ACT
Providing for the Jayanna Powell Hit-and-Run Direct Notification 
System and for definitions; requiring registration of motor 
vehicle repair facilities; and imposing penalties.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1.  Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Jayanna 
Powell Hit-and-Run Direct Notification Act.
Section 2.  Legislative findings.
The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:
(1)  Hit-and-run accidents, in which the driver flees the 
scene of an accident, result in the death of 1,500 Americans 
each year according to the American Automobile Association. 
Approximately 60% of the victims of these accidents are 
pedestrians.
(2)  Fleeing the scene of an accident is prohibited under 
75 Pa.C.S. §§ 3742 (relating to accidents involving death or 
personal injury) and 3744 (relating to duty to give 
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18 information and render aid) due to the duty of motorists 
involved in an accident to render aid and provide 
information. It is in the best interest of the public for 
motorists involved in accidents that result in serious bodily 
injury or death to stay at the scene of an accident and to 
submit to authorities for questioning.
(3)  On November 18, 2016, a driver traveling at a high 
rate of speed struck eight-year-old Jayanna Powell of West 
Philadelphia as she walked home from school, resulting in her 
death. The driver fled the scene of the accident, leaving 
Jayanna's family aggrieved and without hope for justice.
(4)  The driver who struck Jayanna, aided by an 
accomplice, took the vehicle to a repair facility two 
counties away from Philadelphia so as to evade detection. In 
order to more quickly identify and apprehend motorists who 
have fled the scene of an accident, the General Assembly 
deems it necessary to implement a system of direct 
notification to motor vehicle repair facilities of all 
vehicles involved in hit-and-run accidents.
Section 3.  Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall 
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the 
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Department."  The Department of Transportation of the 
Commonwealth.
"Hit-and-run accident."  A motor vehicle accident as provided 
in 75 Pa.C.S. § 3742 (relating to accidents involving death or 
personal injury) in which one or more motorists involved in the 
accident fail to remain at the scene until law enforcement 
authorities arrive or otherwise comply with the motorist duties 
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30 under 75 Pa.C.S. § 3744 (relating to duty to give information 
and render aid).
"Motor vehicle repair facility."  A commercial garage, shop 
or other business operating within this Commonwealth that 
repairs damage to motor vehicles.
"System."  The Jayanna Powell Hit-and-Run Direct Notification 
System established in section 4.
Section 4.  The Jayanna Powell Hit-and-Run Direct Notification 
System.
(a)  Establishment.--The department shall develop and 
maintain a system that compiles information regarding vehicles 
that have fled the scene of a motor vehicle accident to notify 
motor vehicle repair facilities, which shall be known as the 
Jayanna Powell Hit-and-Run Direct Notification System.
(b)  Notification requirements.--After a hit-and-run accident 
resulting in serious bodily injury or death, the investigating 
law enforcement authority shall directly notify all motor 
vehicle repair facilities in this Commonwealth via the system.
(c)  Information.--The information provided on the system 
regarding the vehicle shall include, as available, the following 
about the motor vehicle operated by the motorist who failed to 
remain at the scene:
(1)  Vehicle make, model, year and color.
(2)  License plate number.
(3)  Unique identifying characteristics.
(4)  Extent of damage.
Section 5.  Registration required.
A motor vehicle repair facility shall register with the 
department, in a manner prescribed by the department, to ensure 
accurate contact information for providing information through 
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30 the system.
Section 6.  Duty to report.
Upon discovery of a vehicle in the motor vehicle repair 
facility's possession reasonably matching that of a vehicle 
described in a direct notification on the system, the owner or 
operator of the motor vehicle repair facility shall inform the 
law enforcement agency that initiated the direct notification.
Section 7.  Penalties.
The owner or operator of a motor vehicle repair facility who 
is required under this act to report a vehicle at the motor 
vehicle repair facility and fails to do so commits a misdemeanor 
of the third degree.
Section 8.  Effective date.
This act shall take effect in 30 days.
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