THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

INTRODUCED BY REICHLEY, BAKER, BOBACK, BOYD, CLYMER, D. COSTA, EVERETT, FLECK, GEIST, GINGRICH, HARHART, HEFFLEY, HORNAMAN, KNOWLES, LONGIETTI, MANN, READSHAW, SABATINA, SWANGER, VULAKOVICH, GILLESPIE, HICKERNELL, TOOHIL, GILLEN, GROVE, MILLER, DeLUCA, ROCK AND CALTAGIRONE, MARCH 17, 2011

AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, APRIL 12, 2011   

AN ACT

Amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the

Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for sentencing

for offenses committed in association with a criminal street

gang.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1.  Title 42 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated

Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:

§ 9720.3.  Sentencing for offenses committed in association with

a criminal street gang.

(a)  Sentencing enhancement.--The Pennsylvania Commission on

Sentencing shall provide for a sentence enhancement for crimes

of violence or a violation of section 13(a)(30) of the act of

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April 14, 1972 (P.L.233, No.64), known as The Controlled

Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act, if the offense was

knowingly committed at the direction of or for the purpose of

benefiting, promoting or furthering the interests of a criminal

street gang.

(b)  Proof at sentencing.--The provisions of this section

shall not be an element of the crime and notice of the

provisions of this section to the defendant shall not be

required prior to conviction, but reasonable notice of the

Commonwealth's intention to proceed under this section shall be

provided after conviction and before sentencing.

(c)  Applicability.--The applicability of this section shall

be determined at sentencing. The court shall consider any

evidence presented at trial and shall afford the Commonwealth

and the defendant an opportunity to present any necessary

additional evidence and shall determine, by a preponderance of

the evidence, if this section is applicable.

(d)  Definitions.--As used in this section, the following

words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this

subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Criminal street gang."  A formal or informal confederation,

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alliance, network, conspiracy, understanding or similar

conjoining of persons who operate individually or collectively

as a group or subgroup, with or without an established

hierarchy, that, through its membership obtained by pledge,

oath, swearing, ritual, distinct membership markings, symbolism,

common identifiers or other criteria that law enforcement

personnel use to identify the groups or subgroups, engages in

criminal activity.

"Crimes of violence."  An offense under any of the following:

(1)  18 Pa.C.S. § 901 (relating to criminal attempt),

involving an attempt to commit murder or any of the offenses

under paragraph (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (10),

(11), (12), (13), (14), (15), (16) or (17).

(2)  18 Pa.C.S. § 902 (relating to criminal

solicitation), involving solicitation to commit murder or any

of the offenses under paragraph (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8),

(9), (10), (11), (12), (13), (14), (15), (16) or (17).

(3)  18 Pa.C.S. § 903 (relating to criminal conspiracy),

involving conspiracy to commit murder or any of the offenses

under paragraph (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (10),

(11), (12), (13), (14), (15), (16) or (17).

(4)  18 Pa.C.S. § 2502(c) (relating to murder).

(5)  18 Pa.C.S. § 2503 (relating to voluntary

manslaughter).

(6)  18 Pa.C.S. § 2506 (relating to drug delivery

resulting in death).

(7)  18 Pa.C.S. § 2507(c) or (d) (relating to criminal

homicide of law enforcement officer).

(8)  18 Pa.C.S. § 2701(a)(3) (relating to simple

assault).

(9)  18 Pa.C.S. § 2702(a)(1) or (2) (relating to

aggravated assault).

(10)  18 Pa.C.S. § 2702.1 (relating to assault of law

enforcement officer).

(11)  18 Pa.C.S. § 2901 (relating to kidnapping).

(12)  18 Pa.C.S. § 3121 (relating to rape).

(13)  18 Pa.C.S. § 3123 (relating to involuntary deviate

sexual intercourse).

(14)  18 Pa.C.S. § 3124.1 (relating to sexual assault).

(15)  18 Pa.C.S. § 3125 (relating to aggravated indecent

assault).

(16)  18 Pa.C.S. § 3301(a) (relating to arson and related

offenses).

(17)  18 Pa.C.S. § 3502 (relating to burglary), if at the

time of the offense the structure entered was adapted for

overnight accommodation.

(18)  18 Pa.C.S. § 3701 (relating to robbery).

(19)  18 Pa.C.S. § 3702 (relating to robbery of motor

vehicle).

(20)  A crime equivalent to one listed under paragraph

(1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (10), (11),

(12), (13), (14), (15), (16), (17) or (18) under the laws of

this Commonwealth in effect at the time of the commission of

the offense.

(21)  A crime equivalent to one listed under paragraph

(1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (10), (11),

(12), (13), (14), (15), (16), (17), (18) or (19) under

Federal law or in a jurisdiction outside this Commonwealth.

"Criminal street gang."  A formal or informal confederation,

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alliance, network, conspiracy, understanding or similar

conjoining of persons who operate individually or collectively

as a group or subgroup, with or without an established

hierarchy, that, through its membership obtained by pledge,

oath, swearing, ritual, distinct membership markings, symbolism,

common identifiers or other criteria that law enforcement

personnel use to identify the groups or subgroups, engages in

criminal activity.

Section 2.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.