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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2015 - 2016
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | January 5, 2015 03:00 PM |
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| From: | Representative Doyle Heffley |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Impersonating a public servant - Heffley |
| I am re-introducing HB 1357 in the new session beginning January 6, 2015. This bill was passed by the House of Representatives by a vote of 197-0 during the 2013-2014 Session. The legislation adds language to both Title 18 (Crimes Code) and Title 75 (Vehicle Code), in order to address the circumstance of pretending to be a law enforcement officer. Specifically, if a person pretends to be a law enforcement officer, the grading of the offense is raised to a felony of the third degree (maximum penalty seven years imprisonment/$15,000 fine). Currently, the statute provides that if a person pretends to hold a position in the "public service", the offense is graded as a misdemeanor of the second degree (maximum penalty two years imprisonment/$5,000 fine). The term "law enforcement officer" is defined as a police officer, a state trooper, a parole agent, a drug enforcement officer of the Office of Attorney General, a sheriff or deputy sheriff, a corrections officer, an officer of a port authority, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, a conservation officer, and a constable or deputy constable. The bill also amends 75 PaCS 4571 Visual and Audible Signals on Emergency Vehicles to make it unlawful to sell an emergency vehicle with flashing lights or audible warning systems to another when the person is not authorized to have such equipment on the vehicle. The offense is graded as a summary offense punishable by a fine of not less than $500 nor more that $1,000. Currently, the Vehicle Code provides unless the vehicle is an emergency vehicle, it is unlawful for a motor vehicle to possess flashing lights or audible warning systems. A person who uses or equips his vehicle with these systems commits a summary offense punishable by a fine of not less than $500 and not more than $1,000. However, the Vehicle Code does not currently make it a crime to sell a vehicle with flashing lights or audible warning systems. |
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Introduced as HB235