Bill > SB1484

This bill amends Pennsylvania's sentencing laws to allow courts to issue permanent, lifetime no-contact orders—legally referred to as injunctions—protecting victims of specific covered offenses, which range from criminal homicide and assault to kidnapping, human trafficking, various sexual offenses, and invasion of privacy, as well as any attempts, conspiracies, or solicitations related to those crimes. Under the legislation, either the victim or the prosecutor can request this order at the time of sentencing, or a victim (or a parent, legal guardian, or lawful representative if the victim is a minor) can petition the court for the order later at no cost, with law enforcement serving the paperwork free of charge. The resulting no-contact order, which broadly prohibits any direct or indirect communication, digital interaction, or physical touch initiated by the defendant, lasts for the remainder of the defendant's natural life and can only be lifted if the victim passes away, the underlying conviction is overturned or pardoned, or the victim submits a verified written request to end it. Finally, to ensure enforcement, any knowing violation of the injunction is classified as a second-degree misdemeanor, which escalates to a first-degree misdemeanor for any second or subsequent violations.