Judiciary_Committee

Confirmation Hearing and Voting Meeting to consider HB 146, HB 940, HB 2039, HB 2271, HB 2464, and HB 2525

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Senate Judiciary Committee

Tuesday, June 21, 2022 | 11:00 a.m.

East Wing, Hearing Room 8E-B

Agenda

A confirmation hearing to consider one nomination to the Pennsylvania Parole Board, 13 nominations to the Court of Common Pleas, and a voting meeting to consider House Bill 146, House Bill 940, House Bill 2039, House Bill 2271, House Bill 2464 and House Bill 2525. 

Schedule

Call to Order

Pennsylvania Parole Board Confirmation Hearing

  • 11:00 a.m. – Elizabeth Bolton Penna, Esquire, appointee for the Pennsylvania Parole Board. (Senator Langerholc) 

Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas Confirmation Hearing

  • 11:05 a.m. – Karen Mansfield, Esquire, appointee for the Court of Common Pleas, Lancaster County. (Senator Martin) *Appointee Via Zoom
  • 11:10 a.m. – Shawn Long, Esquire, appointee for the Court of Common Pleas, Lancaster County. (Senator Aument)
  • 11:15 a.m. – Nicole Forzato Esquire, appointee for the Court of Common Pleas, Chester County. (Senator Kearney)
  • 11:20 a.m. – Jill Koestel, Esquire, appointee for the Court of Common Pleas, Berks County.  (Senator Schwank)
  • 11:25 a.m. – IIissa Zimmerman, Esquire, appointee for the Court of Common Pleas, Blair County. (Senator J. Ward)
  • 11:30 a.m. – Brian McLaughlin, Esquire, appointee for the Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County. (Senator Dillon)
  • 11:35 a.m. – William Carlucci, Esquire, appointee for the Court of Common Pleas, Lycoming County. (Senator Yaw)
  • 11:40 a.m. – Richard Knecht, Esquire, appointee for the Court of Common Pleas, Columbia and Montour Counties. (Senator Gordner)
  • 11:45 a.m. – Kenneth Joel, Esquire, appointee for the Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County. (Senator Saval)
  • 11:50 a.m. – John Padova, Esquire, appointee for the Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County. (Senator Saval)
  • 11:55 a.m. – Tamika Washington, Esquire, appointee for the Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County. (Senator Haywood)
  • 12:00 p.m. – Andrew Szefi, Esquire, appointee for the Court of Common Pleas, Allegheny County. (Senator Robinson)
  • 12:05 p.m. – Louis Mincarelli, Esquire, appointee for the Court of Common Pleas, Chester County. (Senator Muth)

Voting Meeting

House Bill 146 (Bernstine) – Amends Section 6137 of Title 61 to restrict when the Pennsylvania Parole Board can parole an inmate after the expiration of his or her minimum sentence if the inmate was convicted of a violent offense or an obstruction of justice offense while incarcerated.

House Bill 940 (Rigby) – Amends Title 18 by (i) requiring sentence enhancements for burglary and criminal trespass if a domestic animal is harmed or killed, and (ii) making it illegal for a person to either recklessly harm a police animal or to harm a police animal during the commission of a felony.  Finally, requires the Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission to establish police officer canine training standards. 

  • Amendment A01892 (Langerholc) – An amendment relating to the care and transportation of police animals.

House Bill 2039 (Pennycuick) – Amends the Crime Victims Act to require that a victim be notified of court proceedings during which a defendant’s bail could be modified and gives the victim the opportunity to offer comment.

House Bill 2271 (Tomlinson) – Amends Title 18 (Crimes Code) to create a sentencing enhancement in sexual extortion cases where the victim attempts or commits suicide.

House Bill 2464 (Delozier) – Amends the Crime Victims Act to grant victims legal standing to assert and enforce rights otherwise afforded to crime victims by law.

House Bill 2525 (Kaufer) – Adds Subchapter F.1 (Crime Victim Right of Access) to Chapter 91 (Criminal History Record Information) of Title 18 (Crimes Code) to create a procedure by which a crime victim or a defendant in a civil action in which a crime victim is a party may obtain criminal history investigative information.

Amendment A04933 (Baker) – An amendment containing technical modifications to the bill, clarifying when dissemination of information regarding certain victims may not occur, and providing an exemption for the dissemination of certain highly confidential information. 

Adjourn

Meeting to consider SB 691, SB 1035, SB 1208, SB 1226 and SB 1228

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Senate Judiciary Committee

Tuesday, June 7, 2022 | 11:30 a.m.

East Wing, Hearing Room 8E-B

Agenda

Meeting to consider SB 691, SB 1035, SB 1208, SB 1226 and SB 1228

Schedule

Call to Order

Committee Meeting

  • SB 691 (Gordner) – Amends Section 911(a) of Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) to add a second judge to the Court of Common Pleas in the Twentieth Judicial District and a third judge to the Court of Common Pleas in the Twenty-sixth Judicial District.
  • SB 1035 (Browne) – Amends Title 20 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes by adding numerous definitions applicable to trusts generally and to change references to “trust instrument” to “terms of a trust” and to add a new Subchapter H.1 to Chapter 77 of Title 20 known as the Directed Trust Act (the “Act”).
  • SB 1208 (Browne) – Amends Title 42 to (i) add debit cards as an acceptable method of paying court costs, restitution and fines, (ii) provide that if a defendant defaults in the payment of court costs, restitution and fines and fails to appear at a hearing to determine the defendant’s ability to pay, the account may be turned over to a collection agency or a county collection enforcement unit, (iii) allow a defendant to request a new hearing to determine the defendant’s ability to pay, and (iv) to prevent a report to a consumer reporting agency unless a financial determination hearing has been conducted and the defendant is found to be financially able to pay.
  • SB 1226 (Baker) – Amends Titles 18 and 42 to provide that a court shall expunge the record of a juvenile under circumstances that are enumerated in SB 1226 and requires a Chief Juvenile Probation Officer to notify the court of a juvenile’s eligibility for such expungement.
  • SB 1228 (Baker) – Amends section 6353 of Title 42 to require courts to hold disposition review hearings at least every 3 months to ensure that a child committed to out-of-home placement is receiving necessary services and treatment.

Adjourn

Public Hearing on Juvenile Justice Reforms

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Senate Judiciary Committee

Monday, May 23, 2022 | 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

North Office Building, Hearing Room #1

Agenda

Public Hearing on Juvenile Justice Reforms

Schedule

10:00 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. – Welcome and Opening Remarks

Senator Lisa Baker, Chair

Senator Steve Santarsiero, Democratic Chair

10:15 a.m. to 10:40 a.m. – Panel 1 – Juvenile Justice Task Force Members 

  • Jim Anderson, Executive Director (Retired), Pennsylvania Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission – Testimony
  • Jon Rubin, Deputy Secretary, Department of Human Services, Office of Children Youth and Families – Testimony
  • Rick Steele, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Juvenile Courts Judges’ Commission – Testimony
  • The Honorable David Workman, Judge, Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas
    • Vice Chair, Pennsylvania Juvenile Courts Judges’ Commission

10:40 a.m. to 11:05 a.m. – Panel 2 – District Attorneys and Defenders 

  • Meghan Black, Assistant District Attorney, Allegheny County – Testimony
  • Keisha Hudson, Chief Defender, Defender Association of Philadelphia – Testimony
  • Sara Jacobson, Executive Director, Public Defender Association of Pennsylvania – Testimony
  • The Honorable Jack Stollsteimer, District Attorney, Delaware County – Testimony

11:05 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. – Panel 3 – Juvenile Probation Officers Representatives 

  • Russell Carlino, Chief Juvenile Probation Officer, Allegheny County –Testimony
    • Member, Pennsylvania Juvenile Justice Task Force
  • Chadwick Libby, Director of Probation Services, Dauphin County –Testimony
    • President, Pennsylvania Council of Chief Juvenile Probation Officers

11:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. – Panel 4 – Victim Advocate/Providers/Juveniles 

  • Suzanne Estrella, Commonwealth Victim Advocate –Testimony
  • Jeff Fleischer, CEO, Youth Advocate Program –Testimony
  • Aiden Myers, Juvenile Advocate
  • Hillary Transue, Juvenile Advocate – Testimony

12:00 p.m. – Closing Remarks and Adjournment 

Additional Written Testimony Submitted By:

  • American Conservative Union – Testimony
  • Attorney Al Flora, Jr. – Testimony
  • Community Legal Services of Philadelphia –Testimony
  • Juvenile Law Center – Testimony
  • Juvenile Law Center’s Advocates for Youth Justice – Testimony
  • Luzerne County Public Defender’s Office –  Testimony
  • PA NewsMedia Association – Testimony
  • R Street Institute – Testimony
  • Robert Williams – Testimony
  • Urban League of Philadelphia – Testimony
  • Youth Art & Self-empowerment Project, My Le – Testimony
  • Youth Sentencing & Reentry Project –Testimony

Meeting to consider SB 118, SB 110, SB 1040, SB 1172, and SB 1179

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Senate Judiciary Committee

Tuesday, April 5, 2022 | 12 noon

East Wing, Hearing Room 8E-B

Agenda

Meeting to consider SB 118, SB 110, SB 1040, SB 1172, and SB 1179

Schedule

SB 118 (K. Ward) – Amends Title 42, Section 9799.14 to require registration under Megan’s Law for those individuals convicted of offenses involving human trafficking, patronizing a victim of sexual servitude, and involuntary servitude.

SB 110 (Bartolotta) – Amends Title 18 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes to create the offense of drug delivery resulting in serious bodily injury.

SB 1040 (Browne/K. Ward) – Amends Section 212 of the act of November 24, 1998 (P.L.882, No.111) known as the Crime Victims Act, to require a law enforcement agency to make reasonable efforts to notify a surviving family member of either a direct victim of murder or of an intervenor, before the law enforcement agency otherwise publicly releases the victim’s or intervenor’s identity.

SB 1172 (Vogel) – Enacts the Sexual Assault Emergency Services Act which authorizes the establishment of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (“SANE”) programs by hospitals, mandates the creation of a comprehensive list of such programs, and authorizes a grant program to establish and support SANE services. 

  •  A03875

SB 1179 (Baker/Aument) – Amends Title 23, Chapter 67, the Domestic and Sexual Violence Victim Address Confidentiality Act (the “Act”) by extending the address confidentiality provisions of the Act to include the victims of child abduction and the victims of human trafficking and by updating the Act to allow for applications for address confidentiality to be submitted electronically. 

Meeting to consider HB 979 and HB 1096

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Senate Judiciary Committee

Wednesday, January 19, 2022 | 10:30 a.m.

East Wing, Hearing Room 8E-B

AGENDA

Meeting to consider HB 979 and HB 1096

SCHEDULE

HB 979 (Dowling), Amends Title 18 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes to provide that a person adversely impacted by a local regulation of firearms or ammunition, where the local regulation was promulgated or enforced in violation of state law, may seek specified relief or damages attributable to the local regulation. Amends Title 53 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes to confirm that the laws of the Commonwealth regulating firearms or ammunition preempt and supersede any local regulation of firearms or ammunition.

HB 1096 (Kauffman), Amends Title 18 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes to allow a victim of the sex trade to bring a civil action in a court located where the alleged violations occurred.

Public hearing for the purpose of consideration of the nominations of Marsha Grayson, Esquire, reappointment to the Board of Pardons, and Marie Veon, Esquire, for the Court of Common Pleas for Venango County, followed by a meeting to consider HB 979

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Senate Judiciary Committee

Tuesday, December 14, 2021 | 11:30 a.m.

East Wing, Hearing Room 8E-A

AGENDA

A public hearing for the purpose of consideration of the nominations of Marsha Grayson, Esquire, reappointment to the Board of Pardons, and Marie Veon, Esquire, for the Court of Common Pleas for Venango County. The Committee will also hold a voting meeting on House Bill 979.

SCHEDULE

Hearing Confirmations

  • Marsha Grayson, Esquire, appointee to the Board of Pardons.
  • Marie Veon, Esquire, appointee for the Court of Common Pleas, Venango County.

Committee Meeting

HB 979 (Dowling), Amends Title 18 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes to provide that a person adversely impacted by a local regulation of firearms or ammunition, where the local regulation was promulgated or enforced in violation of state law, may seek specified relief or damages attributable to the local regulation. Amends Title 53 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes to confirm that the laws of the Commonwealth regulating firearms or ammunition preempt and supersede any local regulation of firearms or ammunition.

Adjourn

Meeting to consider HB 1255

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Senate Judiciary Committee

Tuesday, November 9, 2021 | 11:30 a.m.

East Wing, Hearing Room 8E-B

Agenda

Meeting to consider HB 1255

Schedule

Call to Order

House Bill 1255 (Lewis) – Amends Section 5539 of Title 42 to limit the time frame pursuant to which an action to recover damages may be brought against a real estate appraiser.

  • Amendment A02915 (Baker) – Clarifies that the specified time frame does not apply if (i) there is evidence of fraud or intentional misrepresentation on the part of the real estate appraiser or (ii) the appraisal was performed for a consumer as part of the purchase or sale of single-family residence not involving a lender.  Also, eliminates the requirement that actions be brought within one year of discovery of an error and provides that the 5 year period of repose does not apply to claims that accrued before the effective date of the legislation.

Adjourn

 

Confirmation hearing for Andrew Bender, Esq. for appointment as Judge, Court of Common Pleas, Juniata and Perry Counties and for Sabrina Korbel, Esq., for Judge, Court of Common Pleas, Allegheny County, and a meeting to consider HB 930

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Senate Judiciary Committee

Tuesday, October 26, 2021 | 11:30 a.m.

East Wing, Hearing Room 8E-B

Agenda

Confirmation hearing for Andrew Bender, Esq. for appointment as Judge, Court of Common Pleas, Juniata and Perry Counties and for Sabrina Korbel, Esq., for Judge, Court of Common Pleas, Allegheny County, and a meeting to consider HB 930

Schedule

Hearing Confirmations

  • Andrew Bender, Esquire, appointee for the Court of Common Pleas, Juniata and Perry Counties.
  • Sabrina Korbel, Esquire, appointee for the Court of Common Pleas, Allegheny County.

Committee Meeting

  • HB 930 (Schlegel Culver), Amends Title 18 to add requirements that law enforcement deliver the DNA of a missing child and collect and submit the DNA of an unidentified deceased child to the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) and provide that DNA to the PSP for submission to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NAMUS). Amends Title 44 to provide that forensic DNA stored by the PSP is to be submitted to NAMUS and provides for the collection and submission to NAMUS of DNA in certain investigations.

Adjourn