The bill amends Title 18 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, specifically addressing the offense of criminal trespass. A new subsection (b.4) is added, which mandates that individuals convicted of certain offenses related to criminal trespass, particularly those who are on a self-exclusion list and committed the offense at a licensed facility or video gaming area, undergo an evaluation for gambling disorder. The court will determine the appropriateness of the evaluation, which will assess whether the individual has a gambling disorder and if counseling or treatment is necessary as part of their sentence or preadjudication disposition. The evaluation will be conducted by a court-appointed clinician and will include recommendations for care and monitoring.

Additionally, the bill revises the definitions section by replacing the previous definition of "school grounds" and adding several new terms related to gaming, such as "establishment licensee," "licensed facility," "licensed gaming entity," and "self-exclusion list." These definitions clarify the context in which the law applies, particularly concerning gaming activities and the locations where criminal trespass may occur. The act is set to take effect 60 days after its passage.

Statutes/Laws affected:
Printer's No. 349 (Jan 28, 2025): 18-3503(d)
Printer's No. 0349: 18-3503(d)