HAZLETON – Law enforcement officials shared their efforts to fight crime and how PA lawmakers could support their mission during a joint public hearing of the Senate Majority Policy Committee and the House Republican Policy Committee. PA Attorney General Dave Sunday discussed sentencing for felony murder after the PA Supreme Court ruled mandatory life sentences for this crime are unconstitutional. Sunday stated that Senate Bill 1400, which passed by the PA Senate twice, would provide an appropriate sentence for felony murder and described the seriousness of the offenses. Schuylkill County District Attorney Michael O’Pake joined Sunday in calling for legislative action to fix felony murder sentencing. He also called for regulating hemp products with high THC levels marketed to minors, mandated reporting requirements for elder abuse, funding for child advocacy centers, and outlawing “swatting,” the act of making a false 911 call to provoke a police response. The CEO of the PA Coalition Against Human Trafficking, Dr. Anna Ssentongo discussed how human trafficking has evolved with the internet, with recruitment increasingly happening online through social media, gaming platforms, and other digital communities. She praised two new laws championed by the PA Anti-Human Trafficking Caucus: Act 31 of 2026 and Act 45 of 2026, as key steps toward better protecting victims of these heinous crimes.
