Judiciary 2017-2018
The Senate Judiciary Committee met Monday, September 24, 2018 and reported the following bills out of committee:
As Committed
SB 1253 (Sen Greenleaf): provides expedited review by PBPP of parole cases involving seriously ill and terminally ill inmates
HB 1152 (Rep Boback): provides civil immunity for use of force when rescuing a person from a motor vehicle
HB 2321 (Rep Bloom): expands circumstances in which out of court statements by a child may be admissible
HB 2324 (Rep Barbin): expands the Rape Shield Law to include past history of sexual victimization and broaden its applicability
HB 2325 (Rep Everett): expands the admissibility of out of court statements from people with intellectual disabilities or autism
The Senate Judiciary Committee met Tuesday, April 24, 2018 and reported the following bills:
As Committed
Senate Bill 897 (Stefano & Boscola): Amends Titles 18 (Crimes and Offenses) and 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure), broadening the definition of a victim eligible to collect restitution in certain criminal cases.
Senate Bill 1126 (Reschenthaler): Amends Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) to expand continuing education requirements for magisterial district judges in Pennsylvania.
Senate Bill 1127 (Aument & Schwank): Amends Titles 18 (Crimes and Offenses) and 62 (Procurement) related to fraudulent traffic in food orders. According to the prime sponsors, the bill is aimed at individuals and businesses that exploit the SNAP program by purchasing rightful recipients’ EBT cards “for pennies on the dollar,” then use the EBT cards to buy products used for resale at business.
House Bill 1979 (Schemel): Amends Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) by removing a sunset provision from the section of the code related to contracts entered into under seal.
As Amended
Senate Bill 1036 (Greenleaf): Amends Titles 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) and 75 (Vehicles) as they relate to payment of court costs, restitution and fines by indigent defendants.
The Senate Judiciary Committee met Tuesday, April 17, 2018 and reported the following bills from committee:
As Committed
Senate Bill 189 (McGarrigle): amends the Pennsylvania Crime Victims Act to grant crime victims the right to attend criminal trials, subject to certain conditions.
Senate Bill 1092 (Mensch): amends Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) to create the offense of domestic violence in front of children.
Senate Bill 1132 (Greenleaf): amends Title 44 (Law and Justice) by adding a new chapter establishing the Pennsylvania Alternative Dispute Resolution (ARD) Commission and providing for its powers and duties.
The Senate Judiciary Committee met Monday, March 19, 2018 and reported the following bills from committee:
As Committed
Senate Bill 357 (Tomlinson): Amends Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) to provide for the offense of aggravated assault by a person in the custody of law enforcement.
Senate Bill 915 (Greenleaf): Amends Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) to provide for criminal trespass on critical infrastructure facilities.
Senate Bill 916 (Greenleaf): Amends Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) to expand access to DNA testing for exoneration.
Senate Bill 1072 (Greenleaf): Amends the Crime Victims Act to provide information and compensation to crime victims.
House Bill 149 (Knowles): Amends Title 18 (Crimes Code) regarding unlawful use of audio or video recording device in court.
House Bill 324 (Kampf): Amends Title 42 (Judicial Code) to provide protections for retirement plan benefits.
As Amended
Senate Bill 480 (Dinniman): Amends Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) to expand the offense of cruelty to animals to include causing harm to a service animal.
Senate Bill 501 (Killion): Amends Titles 18 (Crimes and Offenses) and 23 (Domestic Relations), in firearms and other dangerous articles, further providing for persons not to possess, use, manufacture, control, sell or transfer firearms, providing for relinquishment of firearms and firearm licenses by convicted persons and further providing for firearms not to be carried without a license and for loans on, or lending or giving firearms prohibited; and, in protection from abuse, further providing for definitions, for commencement of proceedings, for hearings, for relief, for return of relinquished firearms, other weapons and ammunition and additional relief and for relinquishment for consignment sale, lawful transfer or safekeeping and repealing provisions relating to relinquishment to third party for safekeeping.
Senate Bill 502 (McGarrigle): Amends Title 23 (Domestic Relations) to provide for extensions to Protection from Abuse Act (“PFA’) orders.
Senate Bill 652 (Regan): Amends Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) to provide for criminal trespass on critical infrastructure facilities.
Senate Bill 1070 (Greenleaf): Amends the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency Law, providing for County Adult Probation and Parole Advisory Committee, for justice reinvestment grants, phase 2 and for continuing county probation and parole grants; making an appropriation; and making a related repeal.
Senate Bill 1071 (Greenleaf): Amends Titles 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) and 61 (Prisons and Parole) reflecting suggestions from the Justice Reinvestment Working Group.
The Senate Judiciary Committee met Monday, February 5, 2018 and reported the following bill out of committee:
As Committed
House Bill 1952 (Marsico): This bill creates a new statute for registration of sexual offenders, and attempts to eliminate gaps in reporting requirements for persons whose prior requirements may have been invalidated by recent Pennsylvania appellate court decisions.
Senator Steve Santarsiero
Committee Chair