The bill amends Title 18 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes by introducing a new section, 5557.1, which establishes whistleblower protections for employees of businesses, nonprofit entities, or government entities. Under this new provision, employees who make good faith reports of potential violations related to the subchapter will be recognized as employees under the Whistleblower Law, and the entities they report against will be considered employers under the same law. This aims to encourage reporting of misconduct without fear of retaliation.

Additionally, the bill modifies Section 5561(b)(6) to clarify that the provisions of the subchapter do not apply to conduct performed on animals that are actively involved in bona fide scientific or medical research, provided that such conduct is lawful under applicable federal and state laws. This change seeks to delineate the boundaries of the subchapter's applicability concerning research activities. The act is set to take effect 60 days after its passage.

Statutes/Laws affected:
Printer's No. 238 (Jan 23, 2025): P.L.1559, No.169
Printer's No. 0238: P.L.1559, No.169