PRINTER'S NO. 717
No. 653 Session of 1993
INTRODUCED BY PESCI, TIGUE, NAILOR, CAWLEY, BELFANTI, HARLEY, SAURMAN, STABACK AND ROONEY, MARCH 22, 1993
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, MARCH 22, 1993
AN ACT 1 Amending the act of July 22, 1913 (P.L.912, No.437), entitled 2 "An act providing for the payment of the costs incurred in 3 the trial of convicts and prisoners escaping, or attempting 4 to escape, from the several penitentiaries and reformatories 5 of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, by the respective 6 counties from whose courts the said escaping convicts or 7 prisoners have been committed; and providing for the 8 maintenance of such convicts under sentence for escape, et 9 cetera," further providing for the payment of costs. 10 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 11 hereby enacts as follows: 12 Section 1. Section 2 of the act of July 22, 1913 (P.L.912, 13 No.437), entitled "An act providing for the payment of the costs 14 incurred in the trial of convicts and prisoners escaping, or 15 attempting to escape, from the several penitentiaries and 16 reformatories of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, by the 17 respective counties from whose courts the said escaping convicts 18 or prisoners have been committed; and providing for the 19 maintenance of such convicts under sentence for escape, et 20 cetera," amended October 26, 1972 (P.L.1035, No.257), is amended 21 to read:
1 Section 2. (a) The cost of transporting escaped persons, 2 prisoners, and convicts from the place of capture to the 3 correctional institution, penitentiary, or reformatory after 4 being sentenced for such escape, or for the commission of any 5 crime or offense following such escape and before apprehension, 6 the cost of maintenance while confined in the county jail 7 awaiting trial, as well as the costs of the trial for escape or 8 breaking away of persons, convicts, and prisoners from the 9 several penitentiaries, correctional institutions, and 10 reformatories in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, or the 11 violation by said persons, convicts, and prisoners of any or all 12 of the penal statutes relating to escape, or of the trial for 13 crime and offenses committed after such escape and before 14 apprehension, or of the trial for crimes and offenses committed 15 on the grounds or within the buildings of the correctional 16 institution, penitentiary, or reformatory, as well as the costs 17 incurred in any proceedings on writs of habeas corpus, coram 18 nobis or other petitions arising out of any escape or crime or 19 the trials therefor, or in any appeals of any such proceedings 20 or trials, shall in each instance be borne and paid by the 21 respective counties of the Commonwealth from whose courts the 22 said persons, convicts, and prisoners shall have been originally 23 committed to the said penitentiaries, correctional institutions, 24 or reformatories. The term "costs" also includes, but is not 25 limited to, charges for court stenographer, district attorney, 26 witness fees, justice of the peace costs, clerk of court, public 27 defender and court appointed attorney. 28 (b) The county liable for such costs, as above provided, 29 shall, upon bills rendered by the county paying such costs in 30 the first instance, pay to such county the amount of such costs, 19930H0653B0717 - 2 -
1 forthwith. 2 (c) The amount of any costs incurred under this section by 3 any county, where such amount has not been paid by the county 4 liable for such costs under subsection (b) within six (6) months 5 of the date of billing for same, shall become a first claim upon 6 any money for court costs available for allocation by the Court 7 Administrator of Pennsylvania to the liable county. This claim 8 shall attach upon written notice given to the court 9 administrator by the claiming county and shall remain in effect 10 until the entire amount due is satisfied, either by payment by 11 the court administrator or by the liable county. 12 Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately. B10L61JRW/19930H0653B0717 - 3 -