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        PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1502                      PRINTER'S NO. 2444

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


HOUSE BILL

No. 1298 Session of 1989


        INTRODUCED BY THOMAS, MOEHLMANN, CALTAGIRONE, ALLEN, ANGSTADT,
           ARGALL, BELARDI, BILLOW, BIRMELIN, BLAUM, BOYES, BUSH,
           CAWLEY, CESSAR, CHADWICK, D. F. CLARK, CLYMER, COLAIZZO,
           CORNELL, COWELL, DAVIES, DeLUCA, DEMPSEY, DIETTERICK,
           DISTLER, DOMBROWSKI, DORR, FARGO, FARMER, FEE, FOX, GEIST,
           GIGLIOTTI, GODSHALL, GRUPPO, HAGARTY, HALUSKA, HARPER,
           HAYDEN, HAYES, HERMAN, HOWLETT, JACKSON, JADLOWIEC, JOHNSON,
           KASUNIC, KENNEY, KOSINSKI, LaGROTTA, LEH, LLOYD, MAIALE,
           MARKOSEK, MARSICO, MAYERNIK, McVERRY, MELIO, MERRY, MICOZZIE,
           MORRIS, MRKONIC, NAHILL, NAILOR, PICCOLA, PITTS, TRICH,
           PRESSMANN, RAYMOND, ROBBINS, ROBINSON, RYBAK, SAURMAN,
           SCHEETZ, SEMMEL, SERAFINI, S. H. SMITH, D. W. SNYDER,
           STABACK, STEIGHNER, STUBAN, TANGRETTI, E. Z. TAYLOR, TRELLO,
           VAN HORNE, WAMBACH, WESTON, WOGAN, J. L. WRIGHT,
           YANDRISEVITS, J. H. CLARK, PHILLIPS, G. SNYDER, LASHINGER,
           BURD, O'BRIEN, LANGTRY, BATTISTO, F. TAYLOR, NOYE, FLICK,
           BARLEY AND STISH, APRIL 25, 1989

        AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, HOUSE OF
           REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, SEPTEMBER 27, 1989

                                     AN ACT

     1  Amending the act of April 14, 1972 (P.L.233, No.64), entitled
     2     "An act relating to the manufacture, sale and possession of
     3     controlled substances, other drugs, devices and cosmetics;
     4     conferring powers on the courts and the secretary and
     5     Department of Health, and a newly created Pennsylvania Drug,
     6     Device and Cosmetic Board; establishing schedules of
     7     controlled substances; providing penalties; requiring
     8     registration of persons engaged in the drug trade and for the
     9     revocation or suspension of certain licenses and
    10     registrations; and repealing an act," further providing for
    11     prohibited acts and penalties; providing for recidivism
    12     penalties; and further providing for pretrial disposition of
    13     certain cases.

    14     The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
    15  hereby enacts as follows:


     1     Section 1.  Section 13(a) of the act of April 14, 1972
     2  (P.L.233, No.64), known as The Controlled Substance, Drug,
     3  Device and Cosmetic Act, is amended by adding clauses and the
     4  section is amended by adding subsections to read:
     5     Section 13.  Prohibited Acts; Penalties.--(a)  The following
     6  acts and the causing thereof within the Commonwealth are hereby
     7  prohibited:
     8     * * *
     9     (37)  The use of any communication facility in committing,
    10  causing or facilitating the commission of any act constituting a
    11  felony under this act. Each separate use of a communication
    12  facility shall be a separate offense under this clause. For the
    13  purposes of this clause, the term "communication facility" means
    14  public and private instrumentalities used or useful in the
    15  transmission of writing, signs, data signals, pictures or sound
    16  and includes mail, telephone, wire, radio and all other means of
    17  communications.
    18     (38)  The engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise. For
    19  purposes of this clause, a person is engaged in a continuing
    20  criminal enterprise if all of the following apply:
    21     (i)  The person violates any provision of this act classified
    22  as a felony.
    23     (ii)  The violation is a part of a continuing series of
    24  violations of this act:
    25     (A)  which are undertaken by the person in concert with three
    26  or more other persons with respect to whom the person occupies a
    27  position of organizer, financier or supervisory or any other
    28  position of management; and
    29     (B)  from which the person obtains substantial income or
    30  resources.
    19890H1298B2444                  - 2 -

     1  A violation of this clause constitutes an offense separate and
     2  distinct from the offenses which constitute the continuing
     3  series of violations of this act that must be proven to
     4  establish a violation of this clause; and separate sentences,
     5  either concurrent or consecutive, may be imposed for a violation
     6  of this clause and for the separate offenses which constitute
     7  the continuing series of violations of the act.
     8     (39)  The knowing or intentional keeping or maintaining of
     9  any store, shop, warehouse, dwelling, building, vehicle, boat,
    10  aircraft or other structure or place which a person knows is
    11  resorted to for the purpose of possessing, keeping,
    12  transporting, distributing or manufacturing controlled
    13  substances in violation of this act.
    14     (40)  Except as authorized by this act, the managing or
    15  controlling of any building, room or enclosure, as an owner,
    16  lessee, agent, employee or mortgagee, and the knowing and         <--
    17  intentional renting, leasing or making available for use, with
    18  or without compensation, the building, room, or enclosure for
    19  the purpose of unlawfully manufacturing a controlled substance.
    20     (41)  Except as authorized by this act, the possession of any
    21  of the following combinations of precursors of controlled
    22  substances with intent to manufacture a controlled substance:
    23     (i)  Urea and malonic acid or its derivatives.
    24     (ii)  Ergot or an ergot derivative and hydrazine or
    25  diethylamine or demethylformamide or diethylamide.
    26     (iii)  Benzaldehyde and nithroethane.
    27     (iv)  Phenylacetone and hydroxylamine or ammonia or formamide
    28  or methylamine or methylformamide.
    29     (v)  Piperidine and cyclohexanone (or piperidine cyclohexene
    30  carbonitrile) and bromobenzene and magnesium.
    19890H1298B2444                  - 3 -

     1     (vi)  2-methyl-benzoxazone and 0-toluidine or anthranilic
     2  acid or its N-acetyl derivative and 0-toluidine.
     3     (vii)  Any two or more chemicals necessary to synthesize a
     4  controlled substance.
     5     * * *
     6     (m)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this or any other
     7  act to the contrary, the following mandatory minimum fines shall
     8  be imposed upon any person who violates the provisions of clause
     9  (16) of subsection (a):
    10     (1)  Upon the first conviction, five hundred dollars ($500).
    11     (2) Upon conviction for another violation subject to
    12  sentencing under this subsection, three thousand dollars
    13  ($3,000).
    14  There shall be no authority in any court to impose on an
    15  offender to which this subsection is applicable a lesser fine
    16  than provided for in this subsection. Nothing in this subsection
    17  shall prevent the sentencing court from imposing a fine greater
    18  than provided in this subsection. If a sentencing court refuses
    19  to apply this subsection where applicable, the Commonwealth
    20  shall have the right to appellate review of the action of the
    21  sentencing court. The appellate court shall vacate the sentence
    22  and remand the case to the sentencing court for imposition of
    23  sentence in accordance with this subsection if it finds that the
    24  sentence was imposed in violation of this subsection.
    25     (n)  Any person who violates clause (37) of subsection (a) is
    26  guilty of a felony and upon conviction thereof shall be
    27  sentenced to imprisonment not exceeding seven years or to pay a
    28  fine not exceeding fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000), or both.
    29     (o)  Any person who violates clause (38) of subsection (a) is
    30  guilty of a felony and upon conviction thereof shall be
    19890H1298B2444                  - 4 -

     1  sentenced to imprisonment not exceeding forty years or to pay a
     2  fine not exceeding one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), or
     3  both, and shall forfeit to the Commonwealth:
     4     (1)  The proceeds obtained by the person in, resulting from
     5  or derived from the enterprise.
     6     (2)  Any of the person's interest in, claim against or
     7  property or contractual rights of any kind affording a source of
     8  influence over the enterprise which the person established,
     9  operated, controlled or conducted in violation of clause (38) of
    10  subsection (a).
    11     (3)  An amount equal to the gain the person has acquired,
    12  derived or maintained as a result of violations of clause (38)
    13  of subsection (a).
    14     (p)  Except as provided in subsection (q), any person who
    15  violates clause (39) of subsection (a) is guilty of a felony and
    16  upon conviction thereof shall be sentenced to imprisonment not
    17  exceeding seven years or to pay a fine not exceeding ten
    18  thousand dollars ($10,000), or both.
    19     (q)  Any person who violates clause (40) of subsection (a) or
    20  who violates clause (39) of subsection (a) where the structure
    21  or place kept or maintained is fortified is guilty of a felony
    22  and upon conviction thereof shall be sentenced to imprisonment
    23  not exceeding ten years or to pay a fine not exceeding fifteen
    24  thousand dollars ($15,000), or both.
    25     (r)  Any person who violates clause (40) of subsection (a)
    26  where the controlled substance manufacturing or related activity
    27  creates a substantial risk of harm to human life is guilty of a
    28  felony and upon conviction thereof shall be sentenced to
    29  imprisonment not exceeding twenty years or to pay a fine not
    30  exceeding one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), or both.
    19890H1298B2444                  - 5 -

     1     (s)  Any person who violates clause (41) of subsection (a) is
     2  guilty of a felony and upon conviction thereof shall be
     3  sentenced to imprisonment of not more than fifteen years or to
     4  pay a fine not exceeding fifty thousand dollars ($50,000), or
     5  both.
     6     Section 2.  Section 15 of the act, amended October 26, 1972
     7  (P.L.1048, No.263), is amended to read:
     8     Section 15.  Second [or Subsequent] Offense.--(a)  Any person
     9  convicted of a second [or subsequent] offense under clause (30)
    10  of subsection (a) of section 13 of this act or of a similar
    11  offense under any statute of the United States or of any state
    12  may be imprisoned for a term up to twice the term otherwise
    13  authorized, fined an amount up to twice that otherwise
    14  authorized, or both.
    15     (b)  For purposes of this section, an offense is considered a
    16  second [or subsequent] offense, if, prior to the commission of
    17  the second offense, the offender has at any time been convicted
    18  under clause (30) of subsection (a) of section 13 of this act or
    19  of a similar offense under any statute of the United States or
    20  of any state relating to controlled substances.
    21     Section 3.  The act is amended by adding sections to read:
    22     Section 15.1.  Second or Subsequent Offense of Continuing
    23  Criminal Enterprise.--(a)  Any person convicted of a second or
    24  subsequent offense under clause (38) of subsection (a) of
    25  section 13 of this act or of a similar offense under any statute
    26  of the United States or of any state shall be sentenced to life
    27  imprisonment and fined an amount up to twice that otherwise
    28  authorized.
    29     (b)  For purposes of this section, an offense is considered a
    30  second or subsequent offense, if, prior to the commission of the
    19890H1298B2444                  - 6 -

     1  second offense, the offender has at any time been convicted
     2  under clause (38) of subsection (a) of section (13) of this act
     3  or of a similar offense under any statute of the United States
     4  or of any state relating to controlled substances.
     5     Section 15.2.  Third or Subsequent Offense.--(a)  Any person
     6  convicted of a third or subsequent offense under clause (30) of
     7  subsection (a) of section 13 of this act or of a similar offense
     8  under any statute of the United States or of any state shall be
     9  sentenced to life imprisonment and fined an amount up to three
    10  times that otherwise authorized.
    11     (b)  For purposes of this section, an offense is considered a
    12  third or subsequent offense, if prior to the commission of the
    13  third or subsequent offense, the offender has at any time twice
    14  been convicted under clause (30) of subsection (a) of section 13
    15  of this act or of a similar offense under any statute of the
    16  United States or of any state relating to controlled substances.
    17     Section 4.  Sections 17 and 18 of the act, amended October
    18  26, 1972 (P.L.1048, No.263), are amended to read:
    19     Section 17.  Probation Without Verdict.--A person may be
    20  entitled to probation without verdict under the following
    21  circumstances:
    22     (1)  A person who has not previously been convicted of an
    23  offense under this act or under a similar act of the United
    24  States, or any other state, is eligible for probation without
    25  verdict if he pleads nolo contendere or guilty to, or is found
    26  guilty of, any nonviolent offense under this act. The court may,
    27  without entering a judgment, and with the consent of such person
    28  and the prosecuting attorney, defer further proceedings and
    29  place him on probation for a specific time period not to exceed
    30  the maximum for the offense upon such reasonable terms and
    19890H1298B2444                  - 7 -

     1  conditions as it may require.
     2     Probation without verdict shall not be available if the
     3  prosecuting attorney does not consent and shall not be available
     4  to any person who is charged with violating clause (30) of
     5  subsection (a) of section 13 of this act and who is not himself
     6  a drug abuser and who does not prove the fact of such drug abuse
     7  to the satisfaction of the court.
     8     (2)  Upon violation of a term or condition of probation, the
     9  court may enter a judgment and proceed as in any criminal case,
    10  or may continue the probation without verdict.
    11     (3)  Upon fulfillment of the terms and conditions of
    12  probation, the court shall discharge such person and dismiss the
    13  proceedings against him. Discharge and dismissal shall be
    14  without adjudication of guilt and shall not constitute a
    15  conviction for any purpose whatever, including the penalties
    16  imposed for second or subsequent convictions: Provided, That
    17  probation without verdict shall be available to any person only
    18  once: And further provided, That notwithstanding any other
    19  provision of this act, the prosecuting attorney or the court,
    20  and the council shall keep a list of those persons placed on
    21  probation without verdict, which list may only be used to
    22  determine the eligibility of persons for probation without
    23  verdict and the names on such lists may be used for no other
    24  purpose whatsoever.
    25     Section 18.  Disposition in Lieu of Trial or Criminal
    26  Punishment.--(a)  If a person charged with a nonviolent crime
    27  claims to be drug dependent or a drug abuser and prior to trial
    28  he requests appropriate treatment, including but not limited to,
    29  admission or commitment under the Mental Health and Mental
    30  Retardation Act of 1966 in lieu of criminal prosecution, a
    19890H1298B2444                  - 8 -

     1  physician experienced or trained in the field of drug dependency
     2  or drug abuse shall be appointed by the court to examine, if
     3  necessary, and to review the accused's record and advise the
     4  [government] prosecuting attorney, the accused and the court in
     5  writing setting forth that for the treatment and rehabilitation
     6  of the accused it would be preferable for the criminal charges
     7  to be held in abeyance or withdrawn in order to institute
     8  treatment for drug dependence, or for the criminal charges to be
     9  prosecuted. The [government] prosecuting attorney shall exercise
    10  his discretion whether or not to accept the physician's
    11  recommendation.
    12     (b)  In the event that he does not accept the physician's
    13  recommendation [he shall state in writing and furnish the
    14  defendant a copy of his decision and the reasons therefor],
    15  disposition under this section shall not be available; and the
    16  case shall be listed for trial or other disposition.
    17     (c)  If the [government] prosecuting attorney accepts the
    18  physician's advice to hold in abeyance, he shall arrange for a
    19  hearing before the appropriate court to hold in abeyance the
    20  criminal prosecution. The court, upon its approval, shall
    21  proceed to make appropriate arrangements for treatment.
    22     (d)  The [government] prosecuting attorney, upon his own
    23  application, may institute proceedings for appropriate
    24  treatment, including but not limited to, commitment pursuant to
    25  the Mental Health and Mental Retardation Act of 1966.
    26     (e)  A criminal charge may be held in beyance pursuant to
    27  this section for no longer than the lesser of either (i) the
    28  appropriate statute of limitations or (ii) the maximum term that
    29  could be imposed for the offense charged. At the expiration of
    30  such period, the criminal charge shall be automatically
    19890H1298B2444                  - 9 -

     1  dismissed. A criminal charge may not be prosecuted except by
     2  order of court so long as the medical director of the treatment
     3  facility certifies that the accused is cooperating in a
     4  prescribed treatment program and is benefiting from treatment.
     5     (f)  If, after conviction, the defendant requests probation
     6  with treatment or civil commitment for treatment in lieu of
     7  criminal punishment, the court may appoint a qualified physician
     8  to advise the court in writing whether it would be preferable
     9  for the purposes of treatment and rehabilitation for him to
    10  receive a suspended sentence and probation on the condition that
    11  he undergo education and treatment for drug abuse and drug
    12  dependency, or to be committed pursuant to the Mental Health and
    13  Mental Retardation Act of 1966 for treatment in lieu of criminal
    14  punishment, or to receive criminal incarceration. A copy of the
    15  physician's report shall be furnished the court, the defendant
    16  and the [government] prosecuting attorney. The court shall
    17  exercise its discretion whether to accept the physician's
    18  advice.
    19     (g)  Disposition in lieu of trial as provided in this section
    20  shall be available to any person only once.
    21     Section 5.  This act shall take effect immediately.






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