The proposed bill amends Title 18 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes by adding a new section, 2710.1, which establishes the offense of hate crimes specifically targeting law enforcement officers and first responders. Under this new provision, a person can be charged with a hate crime if they act with malicious intent due to the victim's actual or perceived role as a law enforcement officer or first responder, committing offenses against the individual or their property. The bill outlines specific offenses that fall under this category, including various crimes defined in the article and certain property destruction offenses.

Additionally, the bill stipulates that the grading of these hate crimes will depend on the classification of the underlying offense, with a misdemeanor of the third degree assigned if the underlying offense is a summary offense. If the underlying offense is classified higher, the hate crime will be classified one degree higher as well. The Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing is tasked with providing sentencing enhancements for these hate crimes, ensuring that courts consider the severity of the offense in their sentencing decisions. The act is set to take effect 60 days after its passage.