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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | March 1, 2013 01:15 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Michael J. Stack |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Crossing Guard legislation |
| In the near future, I plan to offer a companion bill to House Bill 437. This bill would add Crossing Guards to the list of those professions protected under Title 18 - related to Aggravated Assault for a Public Employee. This legislation amends §2702 (Aggravated Assaults) of Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes to include crossing guards, volunteer firefighters, special fire police, and public utility employees or an employee of an electric cooperative. In June of 2009, a Pittsburgh crossing guard was assaulted by a woman while acting in her official capacity. The perpetrator was arrested and charged with aggravated assault by the District Attorney; however the Magistrate did not charge her because the crossing guard was not protected by state statute. Much like crossing guards, public utility employees have found themselves in threatening situations that have resulted in assaults by irate customers, however their attackers are not charged with aggravated assault due to the current provisions in 18 Pa.C.S. §2702. Due to the omission of the aforementioned groups, my legislation intends to provide crossing guards and public utility employees with the same protections under the aggravated assault provisions that are afforded to police, school and municipal officials. For the sake of clarity, the bill also adds volunteer firefighters and special fire police to the firefighter definition included in the statute. It is imperative that we protect those who are acting in their official capacity to protect our wellbeing. Therefore, I ask you to please join me as I introduce this important legislation. |
Introduced as SB737