Governor Signs Waugh's Bank Robbery Legislation

HARRISBURG – Today Sen. Mike Waugh’s (R-York) legislation to establish robbery of a financial institution as a second degree felony, regardless of the method used to commit the robbery, was signed into law by Governor Rendell as Act 11 of 2010.

“After five years of working to garner passage of this legislation, Pennsylvania law will now specifically include the crime of bank robbery, which will lead to uniformity in the sentencing of such acts,” said Waugh, who has sponsored this legislation each session since 2005.

Waugh’s Senate Bill 605 amended Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, which only contains sections pertaining to “robbery” and “robbery of a motor vehicle.”  Therefore, bank robberies have simply been grouped with other “robberies,” and if no bodily harm was done but property was taken they have been classified as third degree felonies.

Act 11, however, now addresses the specific action of taking or removing money of a financial institution, and now classifies such a robbery as a felony of the second degree.  Language was also included to ensure equal classification of all bank robberies, regardless of how the demand for money is made, whether it is done orally or in writing.

“The goal is to deter bank robberies in general,” said Waugh.  “Often individuals use notes and verbal threats to carry out bank robberies thinking their crime will be considered less severe without a weapon, but under this new law all such offenses will be classified as second degree felonies.”

Act 11 will take effect in 60 days.