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PRINTER'S NO. 981
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
971
Session of
2021
INTRODUCED BY KINSEY, HILL-EVANS, KOSIEROWSKI, SANCHEZ,
SCHLOSSBERG, CIRESI, BURGOS, SCHWEYER, ISAACSON AND GALLOWAY,
MARCH 18, 2021
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, MARCH 18, 2021
AN ACT
Amending the act of November 24, 1998 (P.L.882, No.111),
entitled "An act providing for victims' rights; imposing
penalties; establishing remedies; establishing the Office of
Victim Advocate, the Bureau of Victims' Services, the
Victims' Services Advisory Committee, the State Offender
Supervision Fund and other funds; and making repeals," in
preliminary provisions, further providing for definitions;
and, in services, further providing for establishment of
basic services for victims of crime.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 103 of the act of November 24, 1998
(P.L.882, No.111), known as the Crime Victims Act, is amended by
adding a definition to read:
Section 103. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
* * *
"Hospital." An institution with an organized medical staff
established for the purpose of providing to inpatients, by or
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under the supervision of physicians, diagnostic and therapeutic
services for the care of individuals who are injured, disabled,
pregnant, diseased, sick or mentally ill or rehabilitation
services for the rehabilitation of individuals who are injured,
disabled, pregnant, diseased, sick or mentally ill. The term
includes facilities for the diagnosis and treatment of disorders
within the scope of specific medical specialties. The term
excludes facilities caring exclusively for the mentally ill.
* * *
Section 2. Section 902(2)(ii) of the act is amended to read:
Section 902. Establishment of basic services for victims of
crime.
The commission shall provide technical assistance to and make
grants to district attorneys, other criminal justice agencies or
victim service agencies which provide crime victims with the
following services:
* * *
(2) Protection services, including all of the following:
* * *
(ii) A secure waiting area during court proceedings
which does not require them to be in close proximity to
defendants and families and friends of defendants[.] as
follows:
(A) The secure waiting area shall be a locked
room within the judicial center or courthouse which
is exclusively used by victims, witnesses, attorneys
and family members of victims and witnesses. The
secure waiting area shall be designed to accommodate
such individuals.
(B) The commission shall set standards of
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construction for a secure waiting area and complete
annual inspections of each secure waiting area in
this Commonwealth to ensure compliance with the
standards set by the commission.
(iii) A secure waiting area in a hospital which does
not require them to be in close proximity to defendants
and families and friends of defendants as follows:
(A) The secure waiting area shall be a locked
room within a hospital which is exclusively used by
victims, witnesses, attorneys and family members of
victims. The secure waiting area shall be designed to
accommodate such individuals.
(B) The commission shall set standards of
construction for the secure waiting area and complete
annual inspections of each secure waiting area in
this Commonwealth to ensure compliance with the
standards set by the commission, in collaboration
with the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
* * *
Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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