PRINTER'S NO. 2144
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1888
Session of
2021
INTRODUCED BY RABB, N. NELSON, HANBIDGE, HILL-EVANS, T. DAVIS,
CIRESI, SIMS, LEE, PARKER, SCHLOSSBERG, OTTEN AND SANCHEZ,
SEPTEMBER 21, 2021
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2021
AN ACT
Amending Title 46 (Legislature) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes, providing for demographic impact statements in
consideration of legislation relating to crimes, offenses and
sentencing.
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. Demographic Impact Statements
CHAPTER 21
DEMOGRAPHIC IMPACT STATEMENTS
Sec.
2101. Scope of chapter.
2102. Definitions.
2103. Demographic impact statements.
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§ 2101. Scope of chapter.
This chapter relates to demographic 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. Demographic impact statements.
(a) Authorization.--On request of a member of either chamber
of the General Assembly, the commission shall complete a
demographic 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
demographic composition of the criminal offender population or
juvenile court system. The demographic impact statement shall be
impartial, simple and understandable.
(b) Bill.--Except as otherwise provided in subsection (e)
(1), no bill for which a demographic impact statement has been
requested under subsection (a) may be given second consideration
by the chamber of the General Assembly whose member made the
request until such time as the commission has attached the
demographic impact statement.
(c) Amendment.--Except as otherwise provided in subsection
(e)(2), neither an amendment for which a demographic impact
statement has been requested under subsection (a) nor the bill
to which the amendment is offered shall be considered by the
chamber of the General Assembly whose member made the request
until such time as the commission has attached the demographic
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impact statement.
(d) Contents.--For groups for which data is available
regarding racial and ethnic composition, geographic and
socioeconomic status, age, gender and religious and
ethnoreligious affiliations, the demographic impact statement
shall include the following:
(1) An estimate of how the legislation would change the
demographic composition of the criminal offender population
and juvenile court system.
(2) A statement of the methodologies and assumptions
used in preparing the estimate.
(3) An estimate of the demographic 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 demographic
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
demographic impact statement is attached to the bill.
(2) If the commission fails to attach a demographic
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 demographic impact statement is attached to
the amendment.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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