PA bills for wider alcohol sales, ban of some vape products await Shapiro’s signature

By TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE | Tribune News Service
PUBLISHED: December 21, 2025 at 12:09 PM EST | UPDATED: December 21, 2025 at 5:43 PM EST

​By Trebor Maitin, Centre Daily Times
After a slow year, Harrisburg had a spurt of productivity in December, with state legislators sending a half dozen bills to the governor’s desk.
The bills, likely to become law after clearing the Legislature with veto-proof, bipartisan majorities, would ban vape products not approved by the federal government, expand the number of places where alcohol can be served and provide a new avenue for municipalities to fill vacancies.
The bills would largely take effect in the first half of the new year, if signed soon.
A spokeswoman for Gov. Josh Shapiro said the office did not have anything to share “at this time” about the status of outstanding legislation. In Pennsylvania, bills the governor does not sign or veto automatically become law 10 days after the office receives them.
Additionally, a number of signed new bills will be in effect in the coming weeks, including changes to Medicaid coverage for GLP-1 weight loss drugs, requirements for employers to cover mammograms and more.
Here’s a rundown of Pennsylvania bills likely to become law soon.
New DUI offenseA bill on the governor’s desk would create the new offense of driving under the influence of alcohol or controlled substance following diversion.
Those who were booked for a DUI but avoided trial by agreeing to treatment would be able to be charged for driving under the influence within 10 years of completing the diversion program if the bill were to become law.
The law would take effect immediately upon receiving the governor’s signature.
Liquor license reformsA bill that easily passed the House and Senate would strike a rule requiring caterers to give at least seven-day advance notice to authorities if they plan to serve alcohol at funerals.
The rule change would especially affect Jewish and Hindu funerals, as the dead in those faiths usually must be buried within a day. Muslims have similar burial rules but largely abstain from alcohol.
This portion of the bill would take effect two months after receiving the governor’s signature, or late February if it is signed soon.
Other reforms included in the bill would allow nonprofits to sell alcohol during fundraising events, allow stadiums to sell alcohol outside their premises during major sporting events, allow the state liquor authority to auction off licenses that failed to receive bids during previous auctions and allow alcohol to be consumed in spaces adjacent to a given seller’s premises, like a common seating area, if the property owner gives permission.
The auction portion of the bill would take effect immediately upon receiving the governor’s signature and the sporting event portion would take effect in one month, roughly the end of January if the bill is signed soon.
The rest of the bill would take effect two months after being signed.
Vacancy-proofing municipalitiesA bill on the governor’s desk would allow the court of common pleas to fill vacancies in sparsely-populated townships when the townships’ vacancy board is unable to act or itself has a majority of seats vacant.
The bill, if it becomes law, would affect all townships in Centre County starting two months after it is signed.
Unemployment benefits reformA bill awaiting the governor’s signature would require unemployment benefit claimants to make a good-faith effort to get a job, clarifies how overpayments are treated and add protections for people who left a job due to domestic violence.
All the provisions start two months after the bill’s signature.
The bill would also double the earnings requirement needed for unemployment claimants who lost benefits for disqualifying reasons to requalify starting one year after the bill is signed.
Ban of unapproved vape productsThe most controversial bill awaiting the governor’s signature (having received 56 no votes from House Republicans) would ban vape products not approved by the federal government. It fines up to $500 for each illegal product sold by a retailer on first offense. Subsequent violations can result in fines up to $1,500 and nicotine license revocations.
The bill would take effect four months after receiving the governor’s signature, or April if it is signed soon.