PRINTER'S NO. 2375
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1785
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY KEEFER, RYAN, KNOWLES, ZIMMERMAN, BERNSTINE, DUSH,
JAMES, JONES, RAPP AND GABLER, AUGUST 30, 2019
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, AUGUST 30, 2019
AN ACT
Amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in criminal homicide, further
providing for the offense of causing or aiding suicide.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 2505 of Title 18 of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding a subsection to read:
§ 2505. Causing or aiding suicide.
* * *
(c) Sentencing.--
(1) The Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing, in
accordance with 42 Pa.C.S. § 2154 (relating to adoption of
guidelines for sentencing), shall provide for a sentence
enhancement within its guidelines for an offense under this
section when at the time of the offense the person who
committed suicide is under 18 years of age or has an
intellectual disability.
(2) For purposes of this subsection, the term
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"intellectual disability" shall mean, regardless of the age
of the person, significantly subaverage general intellectual
functioning that is accompanied by significant limitations in
adaptive functioning in at least two of the following skill
areas:
(i) Communication.
(ii) Self-care.
(iii) Home living.
(iv) Social and interpersonal skills.
(v) Use of community resources.
(vi) Self-direction.
(vii) Functional academic skills.
(viii) Work.
(ix) Health.
(x) Safety.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
20190HB1785PN2375 - 2 -
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