HARRISBURG – A new law signed by the governor will strengthen PA’s efforts to protect children from sexual abuse in youth sports and nonprofit programs. Senate Bill 255, now Act 22 of 2025, adds the crime of sexual assault by a sports official, volunteer or employee of a nonprofit association as a Tier II offense under the state’s Sexual Offender Registration and Notification Act or SORNA. The bill was introduced after discovering that the crime was not listed as a sexual offense under SORNA, leading to inconsistencies in how offenders are tracked when their crimes occur under the guise of community involvement. Previously, a conviction for this crime did not require sexual offender registration — a gap that left children and families at risk. The new law takes effect immediately.
