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| THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA |
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| HOUSE BILL |
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| INTRODUCED BY DAVIS, DeLUCA, CALTAGIRONE, D. COSTA, DALEY, DAVIDSON, FABRIZIO, GOODMAN, HORNAMAN, JOSEPHS, W. KELLER, KORTZ, MANN, McGEEHAN, MURPHY, MURT, M. O'BRIEN, PASHINSKI, QUINN, SANTARSIERO, SWANGER, TALLMAN AND YOUNGBLOOD, MARCH 3, 2011 |
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| REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, MARCH 3, 2011 |
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| AN ACT |
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1 | Amending the act of November 24, 1998 (P.L.882, No.111), |
2 | entitled "An act providing for victims' rights; imposing |
3 | penalties; establishing remedies; establishing the Office of |
4 | Victim Advocate, the Bureau of Victims' Services, the |
5 | Victims' Services Advisory Committee, the State Offender |
6 | Supervision Fund and other funds; and making repeals," |
7 | further providing for the Office of Victim Advocate and for |
8 | powers and duties of victim advocate. |
9 | The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
10 | hereby enacts as follows: |
11 | Section 1. Section 301 of the act of November 24, 1998 |
12 | (P.L.882, No.111), known as the Crime Victims Act, is amended to |
13 | read: |
14 | Section 301. Office. |
15 | (a) Establishment.--There is established within the board |
16 | the Office of Victim Advocate to represent and advocate for the |
17 | interests of crime victims [before the board or department]. The |
18 | office shall operate under the direction of the victim advocate |
19 | as provided in this section. |
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1 | (b) Appointment.--The victim advocate must be an individual |
2 | who by reason of training and experience is qualified to |
3 | represent the interests of individual crime victims before the |
4 | board. The victim advocate shall be appointed by the Governor, |
5 | by and with the consent of a majority of all of the members of |
6 | the Senate. The victim advocate shall hold office for a term of |
7 | six years and until a successor shall have been duly appointed |
8 | and qualified but in no event more than 90 days beyond the |
9 | expiration of the appointed term. A vacancy occurring for any |
10 | reason shall be filled in the manner provided by section 8 of |
11 | Article IV of the Constitution of Pennsylvania for the remainder |
12 | of the term. Whenever the victim advocate's term expires, that |
13 | position shall be immediately deemed a vacancy, and the Governor |
14 | shall nominate a person to fill that position within 90 days of |
15 | the date of expiration even if the victim advocate continues in |
16 | office. To be eligible to be appointed by the Governor as victim |
17 | advocate, an individual must have at least six years of |
18 | professional experience in victim advocacy, social work or |
19 | related areas, including one year in a supervisory or |
20 | administrative capacity, and a bachelor's degree. Any equivalent |
21 | combination of experience and training shall be acceptable. |
22 | Compensation shall be set by the Executive Board as defined by |
23 | the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known as The |
24 | Administrative Code of 1929. |
25 | (c) Service and employees.--The victim advocate shall |
26 | operate from the central office of the board with such clerical, |
27 | technical and professional staff as may be available within the |
28 | budget of the board. The compensation of employees of the office |
29 | shall be set by the Executive Board. |
30 | Section 2. Section 302 of the act, amended October 2, 2002 |
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1 | (P.L.839, No.121), is amended to read: |
2 | Section 302. Powers and duties of victim advocate. |
3 | The victim advocate has the following powers and duties: |
4 | (1) To represent the interests of individual crime |
5 | victims before the board, department or hearing examiner and |
6 | before other government officials. |
7 | (2) To supervise the victim notification duties |
8 | presently conducted by the board. |
9 | (3) To assist in and coordinate the preparation of |
10 | testimony by the crime victims as set forth in sections |
11 | 501(c) and 502 or the submission of oral, written or |
12 | videotaped comments by crime victims prior to a release |
13 | decision. |
14 | (4) To represent the interests of a crime victim under |
15 | section 502. |
16 | (5) To act as a liaison with the victim notification |
17 | program director in the department to coordinate victim |
18 | notification and services for the department and the board. |
19 | The victim advocate is authorized to address the interests of |
20 | all victims before the board, department or hearing examiner |
21 | concerning any issues determined appropriate by the victim |
22 | advocate. |
23 | (6) As determined by the victim advocate, to represent |
24 | and advocate for the interests of crime victims generally, |
25 | including the victims of juvenile crime. |
26 | Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days. |
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