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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | January 15, 2013 02:16 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative William C. Kortz, II |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Adding Visitor and Staff Cell Phones to the Contraband List and Strengthening the Contraband Penalties (Former HB 1131) |
| In the near future, I will be re-introducing legislation – former HB 1131 – that will make it unlawful for a visitor or staff member of a correctional institution, prison, jail, detention facility, or mental institution to possess a telecommunications device without the written permission of the warden, superintendent, or the individual in charge of the facility. My bill will also increase the penalties for all second and subsequent contraband violations to felonies of the third degree. Illicit smuggling of telecommunications devices and other types of contraband into jails, prisons, mental hospitals, and correctional institutions continues to be a major problem in the Commonwealth. My legislation will help to deter this kind of illegal smuggling by making the offense a misdemeanor of the first degree for staff or visitors illegally possessing a cell phone, and increasing subsequent violations for all prohibited contraband. Please join me in helping to further prevent cell phones and other contraband from making their way into our correctional institutions. Previous co-sponsors of former HB 1131: KORTZ , BAKER , D. COSTA, DALEY , DeLUCA , DONATUCCI, HORNAMAN , PASHINSKI , PRESTON , READSHAW and SWANGER |