The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Pennsylvania House Bill 131 ties law enforcement state grants to database compliance and mandates public notice before hiring officers with disciplinary records
Last action · September 8, 2026: Laid on the table, Sept. 8, 2026Sponsors: Chris Rabb and 9 others
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What This Bill Proposed
Pennsylvania House Bill 131 bars noncompliant law enforcement agencies from receiving state funding for equipment, hiring, or overtime, and requires municipalities to issue a public notice 14 business days before hiring a peace officer with a history of misconduct or disciplinary issues.
Police departments and local municipalities risk losing state equipment and overtime grants or tax incentives if they fail to log officer into the state database or hire officers with past misconduct without filing formal justifications and public notices.
Who It Would Have Affected
Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Law enforcement agencies
Law enforcement agencies face the loss of state funding for equipment, hiring, and overtime if they fail to maintain timely separation records or comply with hiring report rules.
Peace officers
Peace officers with separation records involving disciplinary actions or investigations are subject to mandatory hiring reports and a 14-day public notice requirement prior to employment.
Municipalities and counties
Governmental entities with budget authority over law enforcement agencies become ineligible for state money or tax incentives if their agencies fail to comply with chapter requirements.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if a police department fails to enter officer separation records into the database?
Is public notice required before hiring a peace officer with a past disciplinary record?
Who can request a report of database metrics from the commission?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Tabled in the House.
Procedural history
6 actions- Sep 8, 2026HouseLaid on the table, Sept. 8, 2026
- Sep 8, 2026HouseCommitteeRe-reported as committed, Sept. 8, 2026
- Jun 17, 2026HouseRe-committed to RULES, June 17, 2026
- Jun 17, 2026HouseIntroducedFirst consideration, June 17, 2026
- Jun 17, 2026HouseCommitteeReported as committed, June 17, 2026
- Jun 9, 2026HouseCommitteeReferred to JUDICIARY, June 9, 2026
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Tying State Grants to Police Database Compliance
The bill shifts enforcement of officer separation reporting from simple administrative rules to direct financial penalties involving equipment, hiring, and overtime grants.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.palegis.us
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 80)
- Controversy65Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz40Current news / social attention level
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