Criminal Justice (Juvenile Justice)

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Nov 17, 2025

HB 1385: An Act amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in juvenile matters, further providing for definitions and for disposition of delinquent child.

HB 1385 amends Pennsylvania's juvenile justice laws to clarify definitions and update how courts handle cases involving young people who commit offenses. It directly affects juvenile offenders, courts, and child welfare agencies by standardizing terms like "delinquent child" and specifying court procedures for dispositions. Key provisions include revising legal definitions to reduce ambiguity and establishing clearer guidelines for court decisions on supervision, treatment, or other outcomes for minors. The bill aims to create more consistent and transparent processes within the juvenile justice system. (Note: The bill is currently "laid on the table" and not actively moving forward in the legislative process.)

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAmends juvenile justice procedures to clarify definitions and standardize court dispositions, reducing ambiguity and promoting fairer handling of young offenders within criminal justice reform framework.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Juvenile Justice

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Mar 17, 2025

HB 925: An Act amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.343, No.176), known as The Fiscal Code, in additional special funds and restricted accounts, providing for Safe Path Restricted Account; and making a transfer.

HB 925 creates a new "Safe Path Restricted Account" within Pennsylvania's General Fund, initially funded by a $50 million transfer for fiscal year 2024-2025. The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency will manage these funds to award grants to local governments and nonprofits. These grants will support safe passage programs improving safety for people traveling to and from schools and community centers. Priority for funding will be given to communities with high gun violence rates, as determined by the commission.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $50M from General Fund to Safe Path Restricted Account for public safety grants, advancing state budget spending on essential community programs.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill creates $50M Safe Path Account funding community safety programs in high gun violence areas, directly supporting crime prevention and community safety initiatives central to criminal justice reform.95% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill allocates $50M for safe passage grants targeting pedestrian safety near schools/community centers, directly enhancing transportation safety infrastructure.92% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget Firearms Juvenile Justice

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Mar 25, 2025

SB 513: An Act amending Title 46 (Legislature) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for racial impact statements in consideration of legislation.

SB 513 requires Pennsylvania's Commission on Sentencing to create racial impact statements when legislators request them for bills affecting criminal justice laws. These statements must analyze how proposed legislation might change racial and ethnic demographics in the criminal offender population, juvenile court system, and among crime victims, using clear methodology. The bill mandates that such statements be attached before certain legislative actions (like second consideration or amendments) can proceed, with a 10-day deadline for the Commission. If the Commission misses the deadline, the legislation moves forward as if the statement existed. This applies specifically to bills creating new criminal offenses, changing existing ones, or modifying sentencing laws under 18 Pa.C.S. or 42 Pa.C.S. Chapter 97.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates racial impact statements for criminal justice legislation to analyze racial disparities, promoting equitable policy-making and civil rights protections in sentencing and corrections.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Juvenile Justice Sentencing

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Apr 13, 2026

HB 1247: An Act amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in rules of evidence, providing for prohibition of deception during custodial interrogation of individual with intellectual disability or autism.

HB 1247 prohibits law enforcement officers from using deception - such as false promises of leniency or misleading information - during custodial interrogations of individuals with intellectual disabilities or autism. Any confession obtained through such deception would be presumed inadmissible in criminal or juvenile court cases for offenses that would be misdemeanors or felonies if committed by an adult. The state (Commonwealth) must prove the confession was voluntary by a preponderance of evidence to overcome this presumption, shifting the burden of proof from the defense to the prosecution. This applies to all custodial interrogations conducted at police stations or other detention facilities.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProhibits deceptive interrogation tactics for vulnerable individuals, protecting due process and civil rights in criminal proceedings per bill's explicit evidence rules reform.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Juvenile Justice Policing

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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 · 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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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Apr 11, 2025

SB 627: An Act amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in actions, proceedings and other matters generally, providing for reporting of deaths; and imposing penalties.

SB 627 requires law enforcement agencies, jails, and other entities responsible for individuals in custody to report deaths monthly to Pennsylvania's Commission on Crime and Delinquency. It also mandates that death certificates include a notation indicating if the death occurred in custody. Failure to report incurs a $1,000 daily penalty, and the Commission must submit annual compliance reports to the legislature. The bill establishes a Deaths in Custody Review Panel to analyze deaths and recommend prevention strategies.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates reporting of custody deaths and creates review panel to enhance law enforcement accountability and transparency in criminal justice oversight.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Juvenile Justice

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jun 25, 2025

HB 1665: An Act amending Title 44 (Law and Justice) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in DNA data and testing, further providing for policy, for definitions, for State DNA Data Base, for State Police recommendation of additional offenses and annual report and for DNA sample required upon conviction, delinquency adjudication and certain ARD cases, providing for request for modified DNA search and further providing for DNA data base exchange, for expungement and for mandatory cost; and making an editorial change.

HB 1665 expands Pennsylvania's DNA collection requirements to include individuals convicted of specific misdemeanors (like simple assault, indecent exposure, or certain sex offense-related offenses) in addition to felony sex offenses and criminal homicide. It clarifies that DNA samples must be collected upon conviction, delinquency adjudication, or certain Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) cases for these offenses. The bill establishes a "modified DNA search" mechanism allowing law enforcement to use familial DNA matching (with scientific standards) to identify close relatives of individuals in the DNA database. It also requires the State Police to submit annual reports detailing demographics of collected DNA samples, fiscal impacts, testing timelines, and recommendations for expanding or removing offenses requiring DNA collection.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExpands DNA collection to include specific misdemeanors, strengthening law enforcement data systems for crime-solving and evidence collection within criminal justice infrastructure.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Juvenile Justice Policing Violent Crime

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Jun 23, 2025

SB 874: An Act amending the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election Code, in election districts and polling places, providing for residence of incarcerated individuals.

SB 874 amends Pennsylvania's Election Code to change how incarcerated individuals are counted for redistricting. It requires that people in state or federal prisons (or juvenile facilities) be counted at their last known address in Pennsylvania - not at the facility location - when creating state legislative, congressional, and local district maps based on the federal census. The bill mandates that correctional and juvenile facilities collect and share data (including last known address, demographic details, and facility location) with redistricting bodies by June 1 each year ending in "1." This directly affects how Pennsylvania redraws voting districts, ensuring prison populations are not artificially inflated in the communities where facilities are located.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAmends redistricting to count incarcerated at last address, reducing prison gerrymandering and protecting voting rights - key criminal justice reform.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Juvenile Justice

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Sep 9, 2025

HB 1481: An Act amending Title 44 (Law and Justice) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for civilian community relations specialists; establishing the Civilian Community Relations Specialists Fund; and imposing duties on the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.

HB 1481 would create a new position for civilian community relations specialists within Pennsylvania law enforcement agencies. It establishes a dedicated fund to cover the costs of hiring these specialists, who would work directly with communities to build trust and address concerns. The bill requires the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency to manage the fund and oversee the program's implementation. This legislation directly affects police departments and the Commission, aiming to improve community-police relationships through non-law enforcement staff.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCreates civilian community relations specialists to build police-community trust and accountability, directly advancing criminal justice reform through dedicated funding and oversight.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Juvenile Justice Policing

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