By Matthew D. Gailey,

As we welcome a new year, this month’s article will focus on new Pennsylvania acts that have been passed into law. The following is a listing of some of the new laws:

• Probation reform has taken place seeking to limit the length of probation and to prevent people from being sent back to jail for minor violations.

• New laws focusing on repeat offenders can lead to felony charges for the crime of ‘porch pirating.’ In the past, the value of the item stolen was the main drive of the determination of the offense’s grading.

• Automatic voter registration can now take place anytime a driver renews their driver’s license, although participants can opt out of registering to vote.

• Teachers are now allowed to wear garb, emblems, or insignia that indicate he or she is a member of a religious group while in the performance of their duties.

• A significant expansion of the Pennsylvania state child tax care credit has occurred. For instance, a low-income family with two children will have the tax credit go from $630.00 to $2,100.00.

For any other questions about changes in Pennsylvania law, please feel free to give my office a call.