Pennsylvania Governor Signs Six New Laws

Bills cover topics from cursive handwriting to police transfers and insurance verification

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro signed six new bills into law on Wednesday, covering a range of topics including requiring schools to teach cursive handwriting, establishing an online system to verify car insurance coverage, and making it easier for Fort Indiantown Gap police officers to transfer to other departments.

Why it matters

The new laws signed by Governor Shapiro address various policy areas that impact Pennsylvania residents, from education to public safety to government operations. The bipartisan nature of the bills' passage also demonstrates cooperation between the state's legislative and executive branches.

The details

The six bills signed into law include: House Bill 17 - Requires Pennsylvania schools to teach cursive handwriting. House Bill 710 - Directs PennDOT to create an online system to verify car insurance coverage in real-time. House Bill 1934 - Amends the Commonwealth Attorneys Act to limit discovery requests against the Office of Attorney General and other state agencies. Senate Bill 327 - Allows Fort Indiantown Gap police officers to more easily transfer to other departments by recognizing their existing Act 120 certification. Senate Bill 467 - Swaps land use restrictions between the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and the Borough of West Mifflin. Senate Bill 1036 - Makes various adjustments to the First Class Township Code, including rules around commissioner vacancies and compensation.

  • The bills were signed into law by Governor Shapiro on Wednesday, February 11, 2026.

The players

Governor Josh Shapiro

The current Governor of Pennsylvania, who signed the six bills into law.

Pennsylvania General Assembly

The state legislature that passed the bills before they were signed into law by the Governor.

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What they’re saying

“Currently, when a driver cancels their car insurance within six months from the original issue date, the insurer is required to report the cancellation of the policy to PennDOT. However, there is no requirement for an insurer to notify PennDOT when a driver acquires a new car insurance policy.”

— State Rep. Kerry Benninghoff, Sponsor of House Bill 710 (abc27.com)

“It is all too common for constituents to never receive or misplace these notices from PennDOT for a multitude of reasons, which can lead to canceled registrations when no lapse occurred.”

— State Rep. Kerry Benninghoff, Sponsor of House Bill 710 (abc27.com)

What’s next

The new laws will go into effect in the coming months, with the cursive handwriting requirement for schools and the online insurance verification system likely to be the first implemented.

The takeaway

The bipartisan passage and signing of these six bills demonstrates the Pennsylvania government's willingness to tackle a diverse range of policy issues, from education to public safety to government operations, in an effort to better serve the state's residents.