PRINTER'S NO. 1157
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1007
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY BULLOCK, CEPHAS, SOLOMON, T. DAVIS, SCHLOSSBERG,
MURT, KINSEY, HILL-EVANS, McCLINTON, FIEDLER, FRANKEL,
STURLA, HOWARD, HARRIS, DALEY, WARREN, SANCHEZ AND OTTEN,
APRIL 2, 2019
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, APRIL 2, 2019
AN ACT
Amending Title 61 (Prisons and Parole) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in miscellaneous provisions relating
to inmate confinement, providing for phone calls and
electronic messages at correctional institutions.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 61 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
ยง 5908. Phone calls and electronic messages at correctional
institutions.
(a) Primary caretaker parents.--Notwithstanding any other
provision of law and subject to reasonable rules and regulations
of the correctional institution, an incarcerated individual
shall have the right, without expense to the incarcerated
individual, on a monthly basis, to make one telephone call or to
transmit one electronic message to each child of the
incarcerated individual if, prior to incarceration:
(1) the incarcerated individual was the primary
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caretaker of the child; or
(2) the child lived with the incarcerated individual.
(b) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be
construed as prohibiting other phone calls or electronic
messages by incarcerated individuals in accordance with policies
and procedures of the correctional institution.
(c) Applicability.--This section shall not apply to a video
conference call.
(d) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Child." An individual who is under 22 years of age.
"Primary caretaker parent." An individual who is a parent,
guardian or custodian of a child and provides more care to the
child than another parent, guardian or custodian of the child.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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