Pennsylvania legislation · 2025-2026 Regular Session
Pennsylvania HB2840: An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in theft and related offenses, further providing for the offense of theft by extortion; and, in criminal history record information, providing for request and removal of the dissemination of booking photographs.
Status: In committee, October 7, 2026
What the bill says
Amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in theft and related offenses, further providing for the offense of theft by extortion; and, in criminal history record information, providing for request and removal of the dissemination of booking photographs.
From the introduced text, October 6, 2026:
Amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in theft and related offenses, further providing for the offense of theft by extortion; and, in criminal history record information, providing for request and removal of the dissemination of booking photographs. The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby enacts as follows: Section 1. Section 3923 of Title 18 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding subsections to read: § 3923. Theft by extortion. * * * (a.1) Prohibition on consideration for the destruction and removal of booking photographs.--A person that is engaged in publishing or otherwise disseminating a booking photograph commits an offense if the person solicits or accepts the payment of a fee or other consideration to remove and destroy or refrain from publishing or otherwise disseminating the booking photograph. Each payment or other consideration solicited or accepted in violation of this subsection constitutes a separate violation. * * * (c) Definition.--As used in this section, the term "booking photograph" means a photograph or image of an individual generated by law enforcement for identification purposes in accordance with 61 Pa.C.S. § 1103 (relating to recording system for identification of criminal offenders). Section 2. Title 18 is amended by adding a section to read: § 9126. Request and removal of the dissemination of booking photographs. …