THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

INTRODUCED BY GIBBONS, BELFANTI, BROWN, DALEY, FAIRCHILD, GERGELY, JOSEPHS, KULA, LONGIETTI, MANN, M. O'BRIEN, PASHINSKI, PAYTON, SIPTROTH AND VULAKOVICH, APRIL 20, 2009

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, APRIL 20, 2009  

AN ACT

Providing for notice and a public hearing relating to privately

operated community corrections centers supervised by the

Department of Corrections.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1.  Short title.

This act shall be known and may be cited as the Privately

Operated Community Corrections Center Act.

Section 2.  Legislative intent.

The General Assembly finds and declares that the purpose of

this act is to require notice and a hearing relating to the

establishment of any proposed community corrections center for

inmates with prerelease status or who are on parole. The hearing

will provide concerned parties the opportunity to receive

information regarding the location of the proposed center and

the impact on the community and will provide individuals with

the opportunity to ask questions and express concerns relative

to the project.

Section 3.  Definitions.

The following words and phrases when used in this act shall

have the meanings given to them in this section unless the

context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Community corrections center."  A residential program that

is supervised by the Department of Corrections and operated by a

private vendor pursuant to a contract entered into between the

Department of Corrections and the private vendor for inmates

with prerelease status or who are on parole.

"Department."  The Department of Corrections of the

Commonwealth.

Section 4.  Public hearing required.

The department shall conduct a public hearing within the

county of the proposed site of the community corrections center

not less than six months prior to the date on which the center

is scheduled to commence operations and prior to the department

signing a contract with a private provider for community

corrections services. At the public hearing the department shall

explain the operations of the community corrections center and

shall permit public comments relating to the operation of the

center.

Section 5.  Public notice.

(a)  Public notice.--The department shall provide at a

minimum two notices in a newspaper of general circulation of its

intent to hold a public hearing. Each notice shall provide

information regarding topic, location and time of the public

hearing and a contact number for interested persons to call for

additional information. The department shall obtain and keep on

file notarized statements attesting to the publishing of the

notices.

(b)  Notice to county and municipality.--The department shall

send a copy of the public notice to the administrative offices

of all municipalities and the county wherein the proposed

community corrections center is to be located.

(c)  Time of notice.--The department shall provide public

notice no earlier than 30 days and no later than 60 days from

the date of the scheduled public hearing.

Section 6.  Effective date.

This act shall take effect in 60 days.