Two Republican senators are drafting legislation to toughen penalties for repeat toll scofflaws on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

The proposal by President Pro Tempore Kim Ward, R-Westmoreland, and Transportation Majority Chair Judy Ward, R-Blair, comes four years after enactment of a state law cracking down on motorists with unpaid Turnpike tolls.

The senators propose creating a three-tier penalty structure to deter chronic offenders who intentionally avoid paying tolls.

The bill creates a criminal trespassing offense for motorists who willfully drive on the Turnpike despite having a suspended vehicle registration for unpaid tolls.

The bill creates a theft of toll road services offense for repeat offenders using the Turnpike while under suspension for prior toll-related violations.

It creates an offense for serious toll evasion for motorists who deliberately rack up more than $10,000 in unpaid tolls. This would be a felony of the third degree.

The senators point to data showing more than $200 million in Turnpike tolls unpaid. They noted that more than 90% of tolls are collected.

“This legislation aims to crack down on egregious offenders that racked up thousands in unpaid tolls to ensure that honest toll payers and taxpayers are not burdened with the fiduciary responsibility for frequent toll evaders,” said Kim Ward.

When lawmakers debated the toll law in 2022, the turnpike commission reported a revenue loss of $155 million due to unpaid tolls.

Act 112 of 2022 reduced the threshold to trigger a vehicle registration suspension from six unpaid tolls a year to four unpaid tolls and from $500 in total unpaid tolls to $250 in unpaid tolls.

Act 112 increased the statute of limitations to pursue offenders from three years to five years.

Act 112 makes it unlawful to obstruct, manipulate or remove a license plate from a vehicle to impede electronic toll collection.

Tolling issues received attention as the Turnpike introduced electronic toll collection and laid off collectors at toll booths in recent years.

A 2016 state law provided for suspension of vehicle registrations for unpaid tolls.