Criminal Justice

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Feb 12, 2025

HB 605: An Act amending Title 61 (Prisons and Parole) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole, providing for earned compliance credit.

HB 605 creates a program where individuals on probation, parole, or post-release supervision in Pennsylvania can earn time off their supervision period by meeting specific requirements. For each month of compliance - including fulfilling their case plan, avoiding new arrests, and making scheduled payments for restitution or fines - they earn 15 days toward reducing their supervision term. Agencies must award these "earned compliance credits," place compliant individuals in nonactive status, and petition courts to shorten supervision when all financial obligations are met. Individuals facing financial hardship that prevents payments cannot be barred from earning credits if they meet other requirements. The bill requires agencies to publish forfeiture rules online for violations, limiting forfeited credits to those already earned.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill incentivizes compliance to reduce supervision time, aligning with criminal justice reform goals of reducing recidivism and enhancing rehabilitation programs.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Probation & Parole Victims' Rights

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House May 5, 2025

HB 1397: An Act amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in preliminary provisions relating to actions, proceedings and other matters generally, providing for use of media devices.

House Bill 1397 amends Pennsylvania law to allow individuals to use media devices to record, transmit, or broadcast images, video, or audio of judicial proceedings without needing court approval. This change directly affects attendees of court proceedings and the judiciary by altering rules for public access and recording. However, the bill specifies several exceptions where this permission does not apply, including proceedings related to sexual abuse, domestic violence, protection from abuse, sexual violence or intimidation, and testimony from child witnesses or confidential informants.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAllows public recording of court proceedings without court approval, enhancing transparency and public access to judicial processes, aligning with criminal justice reform goals.85% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill explicitly allows media device use for recording court proceedings without court approval, facilitating technology adoption and supporting digital rights in public access to judicial proceedings.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Domestic Violence

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate May 12, 2025

SB 744: An Act amending Title 61 (Prisons and Parole) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in miscellaneous provisions relating to inmate confinement, providing for overwatch towers.

SB 744 establishes a new requirement for correctional institutions in Pennsylvania. It mandates that overwatch towers at these facilities must be staffed by corrections officers during any outdoor movement of inmates. This rule applies unless an overwatch tower does not allow for supervision of inmates during such movements.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates staffing of overwatch towers during inmate outdoor movements, enhancing correctional facility oversight and safety protocols within Pennsylvania's prison system.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Probation & Parole

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House May 13, 2025

HB 1454: An Act amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in judicial boards and commissions, further providing for powers and duties of commission, providing for adoption of guidelines for bail and pretrial release conditions and further providing for publication of guidelines for sentencing, resentencing and parole, risk assessment instrument and recommitment ranges following revocation.

HB 1454 expands the duties of the Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing. The bill requires the commission to establish and publish guidelines for setting bail and pretrial release conditions. These guidelines will assist courts in determining appropriate conditions by considering factors such as the seriousness of the offense, a defendant's criminal history, and community-based support systems. It also mandates the commission to collect and disseminate data on bail and pretrial release practices, in addition to its existing responsibilities for sentencing and parole.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires standardized bail/pretrial guidelines based on offense severity, history, and community support, promoting fairer judicial decisions and data transparency per sentencing commission duties.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Probation & Parole Sentencing

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Apr 15, 2025

HB 1192: An Act amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in courts of common pleas, further providing for problem-solving courts; and, in minor courts, providing for the Mothers Treatment Court Pilot Program.

HB 1192 establishes a "Mothers Treatment Court Pilot Program" within Pennsylvania's minor courts, targeting mothers involved in the criminal justice system who require substance abuse or mental health treatment. The bill requires the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts to create guidelines within six months for identifying eligible mothers, addressing their specific needs, and collecting data on program outcomes. Counties implementing the program must track participant referrals, charges, outcomes, and report annually - without personally identifiable information - to a public website. This pilot program, initially limited to minor courts, aims to provide court-supervised treatment alternatives rather than standard criminal penalties for qualifying mothers.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCreates Mothers Treatment Court Pilot Program targeting substance abuse/mental health treatment for mothers in criminal justice system, focusing on rehabilitation to reduce recidivism and improve outcomes.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates court-linked substance abuse/mental health treatment program, improving access to healthcare services for mothers in justice system85% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Substance Abuse

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House May 7, 2025

HB 1419: An Act amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in protection from abuse, further providing for contempt for violation of order or agreement.

HB 1419 amends Pennsylvania's domestic relations law to strengthen penalties for repeatedly violating protection-from-abuse orders. It creates tiered misdemeanor fines based on prior contempt violations: $500 minimum for a second offense, $500 for a third, and $500 for three or more offenses. The bill also removes jury trial rights for first-time violators (while guaranteeing legal counsel) and requires fines to fund domestic violence programs without replacing existing funding. This directly affects individuals who repeatedly disregard court-ordered protection from abuse. The changes aim to increase accountability for violating protective orders.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeStrengthens penalties for repeated abuse order violations, funds domestic violence programs without defunding existing services, and guarantees legal counsel - directly advances victim protection in criminal justice.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Domestic Violence

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House May 21, 2025

HB 1486: An Act amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in bonds and recognizances, providing for bail in illegal firearm offenses in city of the first class.

HB 1486 would change bail rules for defendants charged with illegal firearm offenses in Pennsylvania's largest cities (like Philadelphia and Pittsburgh). It requires defendants to pay only 10% of the full bail amount for a first offense, 50% for a second offense, and 100% for third or subsequent offenses to be released while awaiting trial. The bill applies specifically to charges under Pennsylvania's firearm laws (18 Pa.C.S. § 61) in cities of the first class. It does not alter the underlying firearm laws but modifies the bail payment structure for these cases. The bill is currently pending in committee and has not yet become law.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeReduces pretrial detention by lowering bail percentages (10-50%) for firearm offenses, aligning with criminal justice reform goals to decrease unnecessary incarceration while awaiting trial.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Firearms

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House May 21, 2025

HB 1493: An Act amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts, providing for data collection on race and ethnicity in criminal cases.

HB 1493 requires Pennsylvania's Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts to collect and publicly publish data on the race and ethnicity of defendants in criminal cases. This data must be posted in an accessible online format and reported annually to the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. The bill directly affects all individuals involved in criminal cases across Pennsylvania's court system by mandating standardized demographic data collection. It establishes a concrete mechanism for tracking racial and ethnic disparities in criminal proceedings without altering sentencing or legal procedures. The law takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates racial/ethnic data collection in criminal courts to promote transparency and identify systemic biases, a core criminal justice reform measure.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Juvenile Justice Sentencing

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Mar 3, 2025

HB 758: An Act amending the act of April 14, 1972 (P.L.233, No.64), known as The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act, further providing for prohibited acts and penalties.

HB 758 amends Pennsylvania's Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act to reduce penalties for a specific drug-related violation. It changes the maximum fine from $500 to $25, eliminating the possibility of jail time for this offense. The bill directly affects individuals who violate clause (31) of the existing law, which relates to certain drug-related activities under the state's controlled substances regulations. This is a concrete policy change to lower the financial penalty for a minor violation, without altering the prohibited act itself.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill reduces drug offense penalties from $500 fine/jail to $25 fine, eliminating jail time, promoting criminal justice reform by lowering sanctions for minor violations.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Drug Policy

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate May 27, 2025

SB 788: An Act amending Title 61 (Prisons and Parole) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for solitary confinement.

SB 788 prohibits solitary confinement in Pennsylvania prisons and jails by banning the practice of confining inmates alone for 20+ hours daily with severely restricted activity. It directly affects all inmates in state and county correctional facilities, including juvenile facilities and those held under federal contracts. The bill requires prisons to use alternatives like limiting visits, restricting commissary privileges, or assigning additional unpaid work - each capped at 14 days - instead of solitary confinement. These alternatives must be used for disciplinary purposes, with no more than 14 days of any single penalty. The law would take effect 60 days after enactment.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBans solitary confinement (20+ hours/day) and mandates humane alternatives, directly advancing criminal justice reform by protecting inmate rights and reducing psychological harm.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Juvenile Justice Probation & Parole

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