PRINTER'S NO. 1836
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
1197
Session of
2020
INTRODUCED BY HUGHES, COLLETT, MUTH, FONTANA, FARNESE, COSTA,
SCHWANK AND KEARNEY, JULY 10, 2020
REFERRED TO STATE GOVERNMENT, JULY 10, 2020
AN ACT
Amending Title 46 (Legislature) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes, providing for racial impact statements in
consideration of legislation.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 46 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a part to read:
PART III
LEGISLATION
Chapter
21. Racial Impact Statements
CHAPTER 21
RACIAL IMPACT STATEMENTS
Sec.
2101. Scope of chapter.
2102. Definitions.
2103. Racial impact statements.
§ 2101. Scope of chapter.
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This chapter relates to racial impact statements.
§ 2102. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Commission." The Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing
established under 42 Pa.C.S. § 2151.2 (relating to commission).
§ 2103. Racial impact statements.
(a) Authorized.--Upon request of a member of either house of
the General Assembly, the commission shall complete a racial
impact statement for any bill or amendment to a bill proposing a
change to 42 Pa.C.S. Ch. 97 (relating to sentencing) or 18
Pa.C.S. (relating to crimes and offenses) to determine the
impact, if any, the proposed bill or amendment may have on the
racial and ethnic composition of the criminal offender
population or juvenile court system. The racial impact statement
shall be impartial, simple and understandable.
(b) Bill.--Except as otherwise provided in subsection (e)
(1), no bill for which a racial impact statement has been
requested under subsection (a) may be given second consideration
by the house of the General Assembly whose member made the
request until such time as the commission has attached the
racial impact statement.
(c) Amendment.--Except as otherwise provided in subsection
(e)(2), neither an amendment for which a racial impact statement
has been requested under subsection (a), nor the bill to which
the amendment is offered, shall be considered by the house of
the General Assembly whose member made the request until such
time as the commission has attached the racial impact statement.
(d) Contents.--For racial and ethnic groups for which
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data are available, the impact statement shall include the
following:
(1) An estimate of how the legislation would change the
racial and ethnic composition of the criminal offender
population and juvenile court system.
(2) A statement of the methodologies and assumptions
used in preparing the estimate.
(3) If the racial and ethnic impact statement addresses
the effect of the legislation on the criminal offender
population and juvenile court system, an estimate of the
racial and ethnic composition of the crime victims who may be
affected by the legislation.
(e) Failure to attach.--The following shall apply:
(1) If the commission fails to attach a racial impact
statement to a bill within 10 days after a request for a
statement has been submitted to the commission, the bill may
be further considered in the same manner as if the impact
statement is attached to the bill.
(2) If the commission fails to attach a racial impact
statement to an amendment within 10 days after a request for
a statement has been submitted to the commission, the bill
and the amendment may be considered in the same manner as if
the impact statement is attached to the amendment.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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