HB 988 — An Act providing for the Jayanna Powell Hit-and-Run Direct Notification System and for definitions; requiring registration of motor vehicle repair facilities; and imposing penalties.

PRINTER'S NO.   1153

                   THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                       HOUSE BILL
                       No. 988
                                              Session of
                                                2025

     INTRODUCED BY CEPHAS, HOHENSTEIN, PROBST, BURGOS, WAXMAN, HILL-
        EVANS, PIELLI, KHAN, GIRAL, SANCHEZ, HOWARD AND HANBIDGE,
        MARCH 26, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, MARCH 26, 2025


                                   AN ACT
 1   Providing for the Jayanna Powell Hit-and-Run Direct Notification
 2      System and for definitions; requiring registration of motor
 3      vehicle repair facilities; and imposing penalties.
 4      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 5   hereby enacts as follows:
 6   Section 1.   Short title.
 7      This act shall be known and may be cited as the Jayanna
 8   Powell Hit-and-Run Direct Notification Act.
 9   Section 2.   Legislative findings.
10      The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:
11          (1)   Hit-and-run accidents, in which the driver flees the
12      scene of an accident, result in the death of 1,500 Americans
13      each year according to the American Automobile Association.
14      Approximately 60% of the victims of these accidents are
15      pedestrians.
16          (2)   Fleeing the scene of an accident is prohibited under
17      75 Pa.C.S. §§ 3742 (relating to accidents involving death or
18      personal injury) and 3744 (relating to duty to give
 1      information and render aid) due to the duty of motorists
 2      involved in an accident to render aid and provide
 3      information. It is in the best interest of the public for
 4      motorists involved in accidents that result in serious bodily
 5      injury or death to stay at the scene of an accident and to
 6      submit to authorities for questioning.
 7          (3)   On November 18, 2016, a driver traveling at a high
 8      rate of speed struck eight-year-old Jayanna Powell of West
 9      Philadelphia as she walked home from school, resulting in her
10      death. The driver fled the scene of the accident, leaving
11      Jayanna's family aggrieved and without hope for justice.
12          (4)   The driver who struck Jayanna, aided by an
13      accomplice, took the vehicle to a repair facility two
14      counties away from Philadelphia so as to evade detection. In
15      order to more quickly identify and apprehend motorists who
16      have fled the scene of an accident, the General Assembly
17      deems it necessary to implement a system of direct
18      notification to motor vehicle repair facilities of all
19      vehicles involved in hit-and-run accidents.
20   Section 3.   Definitions.
21      The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
22   have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
23   context clearly indicates otherwise:
24      "Department."   The Department of Transportation of the
25   Commonwealth.
26      "Hit-and-run accident."   A motor vehicle accident as provided
27   in 75 Pa.C.S. § 3742 (relating to accidents involving death or
28   personal injury) in which one or more motorists involved in the
29   accident fail to remain at the scene until law enforcement
30   authorities arrive or otherwise comply with the motorist duties

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 1   under 75 Pa.C.S. § 3744 (relating to duty to give information
 2   and render aid).
 3      "Motor vehicle repair facility."        A commercial garage, shop
 4   or other business operating within this Commonwealth that
 5   repairs damage to motor vehicles.
 6      "System."     The Jayanna Powell Hit-and-Run Direct Notification
 7   System established in section 4.
 8   Section 4.     The Jayanna Powell Hit-and-Run Direct Notification
 9                  System.
10      (a)   Establishment.--The department shall develop and
11   maintain a system that compiles information regarding vehicles
12   that have fled the scene of a motor vehicle accident to notify
13   motor vehicle repair facilities, which shall be known as the
14   Jayanna Powell Hit-and-Run Direct Notification System.
15      (b)   Notification requirements.--After a hit-and-run accident
16   resulting in serious bodily injury or death, the investigating
17   law enforcement authority shall directly notify all motor
18   vehicle repair facilities in this Commonwealth via the system.
19      (c)   Information.--The information provided on the system
20   regarding the vehicle shall include, as available, the following
21   about the motor vehicle operated by the motorist who failed to
22   remain at the scene:
23            (1)   Vehicle make, model, year and color.
24            (2)   License plate number.
25            (3)   Unique identifying characteristics.
26            (4)   Extent of damage.
27   Section 5.     Registration required.
28      A motor vehicle repair facility shall register with the
29   department, in a manner prescribed by the department, to ensure
30   accurate contact information for providing information through

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 1   the system.
 2   Section 6.    Duty to report.
 3      Upon discovery of a vehicle in the motor vehicle repair
 4   facility's possession reasonably matching that of a vehicle
 5   described in a direct notification on the system, the owner or
 6   operator of the motor vehicle repair facility shall inform the
 7   law enforcement agency that initiated the direct notification.
 8   Section 7.    Penalties.
 9      The owner or operator of a motor vehicle repair facility who
10   is required under this act to report a vehicle at the motor
11   vehicle repair facility and fails to do so commits a misdemeanor
12   of the third degree.
13   Section 8.    Effective date.
14      This act shall take effect in 30 days.




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