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PRINTER'S NO. 1165
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1015
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY McCLINTON, MURT, WILLIAMS, LEE, KINSEY, TOOHIL,
SCHLOSSBERG, HILL-EVANS, FIEDLER, CEPHAS, FRANKEL, STURLA,
HARRIS, DALEY, MADDEN, DEASY, SANCHEZ, KIRKLAND, FITZGERALD,
HOHENSTEIN 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 safe community reentry, further
providing for Safe Community Reentry Program and for contract
for services.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 4903(b) of Title 61 of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding a paragraph to read:
§ 4903. Safe Community Reentry Program.
* * *
(b) Assessment and plan.--
* * *
(4) The correctional institution or the board shall
counsel and assist in the completion of applications for
public benefit programs at least 20 days prior to release for
which each incarcerated individual may be eligible following
release from incarceration. Counseling shall include the
following public benefit programs and assistance:
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(i) Medical assistance.
(ii) Medicaid for former foster care youth.
(iii) Medical assistance for workers with
disabilities.
(iv) Medicare savings.
(v) Children's Health Insurance Program.
(vi) Health insurance marketplace.
(vii) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
(viii) Cash assistance.
(ix) Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.
(x) Long-term living services, home and community-
based.
(xi) Long-term living services, nursing home and
related facilities.
(xii) Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program.
(xiii) Free or reduced price school meals.
(xiv) Child Care Works.
(xv) Head Start.
(xvi) Women, Infants and Children.
(xvii) Department of Human Service's family planning
services.
(xviii) Access to oral contraceptives.
(xix) Public housing assistance and shelter needs.
(xx) Emergency shelter for victims of domestic
violence.
(xxi) Employment assistance.
(xxii) Assistance with Supplemental Security Income.
(xxiii) Assistance with Supplemental Security
Disability Income.
(xxiv) Information on family law issues relating to
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custody, child support, divorce and domestic violence.
(xxv) Referrals for free legal assistance.
(xxvi) Other Federal or State programs selected by
the correctional institution or board.
* * *
Section 2. Section 4904(b) of Title 61 is amended and
subsection (a) is amended by adding a paragraph to read:
§ 4904. Contract for services.
(a) Authority.--The [department] correctional institution
and the board may contract with community organizations and
other nonprofit or for-profit entities to provide programs and
services under this chapter. The programs and services provided
under these contracts may include:
* * *
(16) Assisting incarcerated individuals in applying for
and obtaining access to public benefit programs upon release
from incarceration and providing information about any of the
public benefit programs and assistance under section 4903(b)
(4) (relating to Safe Community Reentry Program).
(b) Accountability.--To ensure accountability, any contract
entered under this section shall contain specific performance
measures that the [department] correctional institution and the
board shall use to evaluate compliance with the terms of the
contract.
Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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