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PRINTER'S NO. 4069
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
2654
Session of
2020
INTRODUCED BY MURT, KINSEY, FREEMAN, ROZZI, READSHAW, HILL-EVANS
AND DONATUCCI, JULY 1, 2020
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, JULY 1, 2020
AN ACT
Amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the
Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in organization and
jurisdiction of courts of common pleas, providing for
authorizing trauma-informed courts.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 42 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
ยง 918. Trauma-informed courts.
(a) Establishment.--The court of common pleas of a judicial
district may establish, from available funds, a trauma-informed
court which shall have jurisdiction as provided under subsection
(e). The court may adopt local rules for the administration of
trauma-informed courts and their related services. The local
rules may not be inconsistent with this section or any rules
established by the Supreme Court.
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of a trauma-informed court is to
have judges presiding who recognize defendants appearing in a
criminal proceeding have personally experienced acts of violence
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or other traumatic life events. The court may allow for greater
flexibility in sentencing, provide intensive judicial
supervision, mandatory drug testing and incentives to help
offenders with substance abuse problems.
(c) Statewide trauma-informed courts coordinator.--To the
extent that funds are available, the Supreme Court may appoint a
Statewide trauma-informed courts coordinator who may be assigned
other responsibilities by the Supreme Court. The coordinator
may:
(1) Encourage and assist in the establishment of trauma-
informed courts in each judicial district where the caseload
justifies the establishment of such courts.
(2) Identify sources of funding for trauma-informed
courts and their related services, including the availability
of grants.
(3) Provide coordination and technical assistance for
grant applications.
(4) Develop model guidelines for the administration of
trauma-informed courts and their related services.
(5) Establish procedures for monitoring trauma-informed
courts and their related services and for evaluating the
effectiveness of trauma-informed courts and their related
services.
(d) Advisory committee.--The Supreme Court may establish,
from available funds, an interdisciplinary and interbranch
advisory committee to advise and assist the Statewide trauma-
informed courts coordinator in monitoring and administering
trauma-informed courts Statewide.
(e) Jurisdiction of trauma-informed courts.--In a court of
common pleas that has established a trauma-informed court under
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this section, the court may have exclusive jurisdiction over
criminal actions in which the defendant:
(1) has a prior offense; and
(2) is able to demonstrate with documentation that the
defendant suffers from sexual abuse, domestic violence, a
past act of violence or traumatic life event.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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