PHILADELPHIA, PA - New Year, new red tape. While you were recovering from the holidays, the City of Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania rolled out a series of legislative changes that officially took effect this January.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - New Year, new red tape. While you were recovering from the holidays, the City of Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania rolled out a series of legislative changes that officially took effect this January.Some will save you money, others might cost you a few cents at the register, and a few are designed to change the culture of the workplace. Whether you're a commuter, a renter, or just someone trying to book a Friday night dinner reservation, here are the 8 new laws you need to know right now.
1. The Dining "Scalper Ban"
Status: Awaiting Final Implementation Getting a table on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, or Zahav is hard enough without competing against robots. A new ordinance aimed at "reservation scalping" targets third-party companies and bots that hoard prime dinner slots to resell them for a profit. The goal? Give regular Philadelphians a fighting chance at a 7:00 PM table without paying a "reservation fee" on the black market.
2. The Paper Bag Fee (It's Real This Time)
Status: Phased Rollout Starting Jan. 2026 You already know plastic bags are gone. But starting this month, a new 10-cent fee on paper bags is being adopted by more retailers across the city. The move is designed to push shoppers toward reusable totes rather than just switching from plastic waste to paper waste.
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Pro Tip: Keep a canvas bag in your trunk or backpack. That 10 cents adds up.
3. The CROWN Act
Status: Effective January 27, 2026. This is a major civil rights victory. Following the lead of other states, the CROWN Act (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair) officially becomes statewide law in late January. It prohibits discrimination based on hair texture or style—such as braids, locs, twists, and knots—in schools and workplaces. It ensures that professionalism is defined by performance, not hair texture.
4. "Ban the Box" Expands to Gig Workers
Status: Effective Jan. 6, 2026, Philadelphia’s "Fair Criminal Record Screening Standards" just got tougher. As of last week, the law limits how far back employers can look into criminal histories (now 4 years for misdemeanors) and, crucially, extends protections to gig economy workers. If you drive for Uber, Lyft, or DoorDash, you now have similar protections regarding background checks as traditional employees.
5. PA Turnpike Tolls: Up 4%
Status: Effective Jan. 4, 2026 If you drove the Turnpike last week, you paid more. The annual toll hike kicked in on January 4th, raising rates by 4%.
- E-ZPass: Up from $1.86 to $1.94 for the most common passenger toll.
- Toll By Plate: Up from $3.72 to $3.88.
- The Good News: This is the lowest percentage increase since 2014, and E-ZPass users are still saving nearly 50% compared to cash/plate payers.
6. School Safety Notifications
Status: Effective Jan. 6, 2026 A new statewide mandate (Senate Bill 246) now requires all schools to notify parents, guardians, and employees within 24 hours if a weapon is found on school property. Previously, there was ambiguity on when parents had to be told; now, the timeline is strict law.
7. No-Cost Breast Cancer Screenings
Status: Effective Jan. 23, 2026 This is a lifesaver—literally. Starting later this month, insurers in Pennsylvania are required to cover supplemental breast cancer screenings (like MRIs and ultrasounds) for women with dense breast tissue or high genetic risk without charging a copay or deductible.
8. Tax Shift: Wage Tax Down, Biz Exemptions Out
Status: Effective for 2026 Tax Season
- The Good: The City Wage Tax rate has ticked down slightly to 3.74% for residents (lowest in decades).
- The Bad: If you own a small business, the $100,000 BIRT exemption (Business Income and Receipts Tax) is gone for the 2025 tax year (which you are filing now). Every business must now file and pay, closing a popular loophole for smaller entrepreneurs.
