PRINTER'S NO. 598
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
591
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY D. MILLER, SCHLOSSBERG, SNYDER, McNEILL, DEASY,
SOLOMON, MACKENZIE, KINSEY, KORTZ, HILL-EVANS, NEILSON AND
SIMS, FEBRUARY 28, 2019
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, FEBRUARY 28, 2019
AN ACT
Establishing safety assessments for magisterial district court
offices and legislative district offices; and imposing duties
on the Pennsylvania State Police.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Requirement for annual safety assessment.
Within one year of the effective date of this section, and
each year thereafter, a safety assessment shall be conducted for
each operational magisterial district court office and
operational legislative district office in this Commonwealth.
Section 2. New locations.
If a new or additional location is leased to serve as a
magisterial district court office or legislative district office
in this Commonwealth after the effective date of this section, a
safety assessment shall be conducted for that office within one
year after the opening of that new or relocated office, and each
year thereafter, for the period in which that office is
operational.
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Section 3. Conducting safety assessment.
Only a law enforcement officer who has received a
certification in physical security training from the United
States Department of Homeland Security may conduct a safety
assessment under this act.
Section 4. Contents of safety assessment.
A safety assessment shall include at a minimum a written
analysis of the following for each operational magisterial
district court office and operational legislative district
office:
(1) The physical safety of the office structure and
security measures currently in place.
(2) The measures that can be taken to enhance protection
of the office, office staff, other occupants of the office
structure and the structure itself, including supporting
information documenting the validity of the measures and,
where possible, the cost estimates.
(3) Safety policy recommendations that may include staff
training requirements in de-escalation tactics, threat
assessments or other safety procedures.
(4) An analysis of the coordination of local emergency
services specifically related to the office, office staff and
other occupants of the office structure.
Section 5. Duties of the Pennsylvania State Police.
The Pennsylvania State Police shall coordinate efforts for
safety assessments under this act and shall:
(1) Develop forms and any necessary procedures to
receive the information under section 4.
(2) Within 18 months of the effective date of this
section, and each year thereafter, submit a report to the
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General Assembly containing a summary of the information
under section 4.
(3) Take all reasonable steps necessary to ensure that
the conduct of the safety assessments, the receipt of the
information under section 4 and the preparation and submittal
of the annual reports under paragraph (2) do not compromise
safety or security measures for the magisterial district
court offices or legislative district offices.
Section 6. Effective date.
This act shall take effect immediately.
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