PRINTER'S NO. 3590
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
239
Session of
2022
INTRODUCED BY LAWRENCE, OCTOBER 24, 2022
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, OCTOBER 24, 2022
A RESOLUTION
Directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to
conduct a comprehensive study and report of Federal, State
and city funds and grants allocated to the Office of the
Philadelphia District Attorney for the servicing and
compensation of crime victims.
WHEREAS, The Office of the Philadelphia District Attorney is
a member of the joint local-State firearm task force ("Gun
Violence Task Force") that currently operates in the City of
Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, The Gun Violence Task Force is tasked with combating
the unlawful sale, transfer, possession, use, manufacture and
control of firearms in the City of Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, The Gun Violence Task Force is funded by annual
General Fund appropriations; and
WHEREAS, In fiscal year 2018-2019, the Gun Violence Task
Force received $4,378,000 in funding from the General Fund; and
WHEREAS, In fiscal year 2019-2020, the Gun Violence Task
Force received $6,878,000 in funding from the General Fund; and
WHEREAS, In fiscal year 2020-2021, the Gun Violence Task
Force received $6,815,000 in funding from the General Fund; and
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WHEREAS, In fiscal year 2021-2022, the Gun Violence Task
Force received $7,115,000 in funding from the General Fund; and
WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia has suffered from an
escalating surge of violent crime and firearm violence since
2018; and
WHEREAS, In 2018, there were 353 homicides and 1,442 shooting
victims in the City of Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, In 2019, there were 356 homicides and 1,463 shooting
victims in the City of Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, In 2020, there were 499 homicides and 2,245 shooting
victims in the City of Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, In 2021, there were 562 homicides and 2,332 shooting
victims in the City of Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, Between 2018 and 2021, there were 1,770 homicides in
the City of Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, Of the 7,482 shooting incidents between 2018 and
2021 in the City of Philadelphia, 1,466 were fatal; and
WHEREAS, The Victim Services Unit within the Office of the
Philadelphia District Attorney asserts on its publicly
accessible Internet website that the unit advocates on behalf of
all crime victims and witnesses in the City of Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, The CARES Peer Crisis Responders for Homicide
Survivors within the Office of the Philadelphia District
Attorney asserts on its publicly accessible Internet website
that it provides services to families of homicide victims;
therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the
Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to conduct a
comprehensive study of the Federal, State and city funds and any
grants allocated to or under the direction or control of the
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Office of the Philadelphia District Attorney for the servicing
or compensation of crime victims and how these funds have been
spent and prepare a report of its findings; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and
Delinquency assist the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee
to the extent requested by the chair of the committee; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee
submit a report of its findings to the House of Representatives
within nine months of the adoption of this resolution; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge the Auditor
General to conduct a forensic audit of the use and expenditure
of State funds by the office of Philadelphia District Attorney
and any other money that was appropriated to the Gun Violence
Task Force in fiscal years 2018-2019, 2019-2020, 2020-2021 and
2021-2022; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the forensic audit address any improprieties,
negligence or misuse of funds.
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