PRINTER'S NO. 1590
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
1143
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY SABATINA, RAFFERTY, FONTANA, VULAKOVICH, COSTA,
YUDICHAK, BARTOLOTTA, DINNIMAN, BOSCOLA, HAYWOOD AND BROWNE,
MARCH 9, 2016
REFERRED TO JUDICIARY, MARCH 9, 2016
AN ACT
Amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in protection from abuse, further
providing for commencement of proceedings.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 6106(g) and (h) of Title 23 of the
Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended to read:
ยง 6106. Commencement of proceedings.
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(g) Service of petition and orders.--The petition and orders
shall be served upon the defendant, and orders shall be served
upon the police departments and sheriff with appropriate
jurisdiction to enforce the orders. If orders are served in
person on the defendant, service shall occur within six hours of
the issuance of the orders. Orders shall be promptly served on
the police and sheriff. Failure to serve shall not stay the
effect of a valid order.
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(h) Assistance and advice to plaintiff.--The courts and
hearing officers shall:
(1) Provide simplified forms and clerical assistance in
English and Spanish to help with the writing and filing of
the petition for a protection order for an individual not
represented by counsel.
(2) Provide the plaintiff with written and oral
referrals, in English and Spanish, to the local domestic
violence program, to the local legal services office and to
the county bar association's lawyer referral service.
(3) Provide a law enforcement officer, the sheriff or
other designated agency or individual to accompany the
plaintiff to the plaintiff's residence before or while the
petition and orders are being served, if the plaintiff avers
that such assistance is necessary to protect the safety of
the plaintiff.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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