Loading chat...
PA HB1579
Bill
Status
6/9/2025
Primary Sponsor
Thomas Jones
Click for details
AI Summary
-
Increases constable bond requirements from $500-$3,000 to $1,000-$5,000 and raises liability insurance minimums from $250,000/$500,000 to $500,000/$750,000 per incident/year aggregate.
-
Establishes disqualifications for constables including felony convictions, sex offender registration requirements, theft convictions graded as second-degree misdemeanor or higher, and two or more DUI convictions within 10 years.
-
Significantly increases constable fees across civil, landlord-tenant, and criminal cases, including service fees from $13 to $20, warrant execution from $25 to $50, and transport fees from $17 to $25 for non-incarcerated defendants.
-
Requires constables to wear clearly identifiable uniforms stating "constable" or "deputy constable" (not exclusively "police") and carry a constabulary badge when performing duties; prohibits certain incompatible employment including bail bond enforcement (unless separately licensed), professional bondsman, debt collection, and private detective work.
-
Creates county constabulary review boards to resolve disputes, establish uniform policies, and oversee constable services, with membership including judges, court administrators, county controllers, district attorneys, and certified constables.
Legislative Description
In constables, further providing for townships, providing for bond, further providing for police officers, providing for bail bond enforcement agent, for professional bondsman, for debt collection, for other incompatible employment, for disqualification and for nepotism, further providing for conduct and insurance, for program established, for program contents, for restricted account and for general imposition of duties and grant of powers, providing for constabulary badge and uniform, repealing provisions relating to arrest of offenders against forest laws, further providing for executions, for arrest in boroughs, for fees and for specific fees, repealing provisions relating to impounding, selling and viewing fees, further providing for seizure fees, for election notice in certain areas, for incompetence and for compensation violation, repealing provisions relating to failure to serve in a township and providing for oversight; authorizing county constabulary review boards; imposing duties on the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency; and imposing penalties.
Last Action
Referred to Judiciary
6/9/2025