KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Pennsylvania

HB638 • 2025

An Act amending Title 12 (Commerce and Trade) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in commercial protection, prohibiting confession of judgment provisions.

An Act amending Title 12 (Commerce and Trade) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in commercial protection, prohibiting confession of judgment provisions.

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
HOWARD
Last action
2025-02-20
Official status
Referred to COMMERCE, Feb. 20, 2025
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act amending Title 12 (Commerce and Trade) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in commercial protection, prohibiting confession of judgment provisions.

An Act amending Title 12 (Commerce and Trade) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in commercial protection, prohibiting confession of judgment provisions.

What This Bill Does

  • An Act amending Title 12 (Commerce and Trade) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in commercial protection, prohibiting confession of judgment provisions.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2025-02-20 COMMERCE

    Referred to COMMERCE, Feb. 20, 2025

Official Summary Text

An Act amending Title 12 (Commerce and Trade) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in commercial protection, prohibiting confession of judgment provisions.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
PRINTER'S NO. 648
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 638
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY HOWARD, WAXMAN, NEILSON, KHAN, GIRAL, HILL-EVANS,
PIELLI, MADDEN AND SANCHEZ, FEBRUARY 20, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, FEBRUARY 20, 2025
AN ACT
Amending Title 12 (Commerce and Trade) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in commercial protection, prohibiting
confession of judgment provisions.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Part IV of Title 12 of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding a chapter to read:
CHAPTER 59
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
Sec.
5901. Confession of judgment provisions prohibited.
§ 5901. Confession of judgment provisions prohibited.
(a) Prohibition.--A contract or agreement entered into
between parties may not contain a provision that authorizes one
party to confess judgment against another party to the contract
or agreement.
(b) Exceptions.--Subsection (a) does not apply to a contract
or agreement entered into:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
(1) prior to the effective date of this section; or
(2) by the Commonwealth or a municipality pursuant to
statute.
(c) Effect.--A confession of judgment provision in violation
of this section is void and unenforceable.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
20250HB0638PN0648 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6