PRINTER'S NO. 3061
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
2143
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY BIZZARRO, THOMAS, BURGOS, HANBIDGE, GROVE,
KENYATTA, HILL-EVANS, O'MARA, NEILSON, McNEILL, HOHENSTEIN,
RYAN, SAINATO, YOUNGBLOOD, READSHAW, HOWARD, DEASY AND
DeLUCA, DECEMBER 18, 2019
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, DECEMBER 18, 2019
AN ACT
Amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the
Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in organization and
jurisdiction of courts of common pleas, further providing for
problem-solving courts.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 916(a) of Title 42 of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes is amended and the section is amended by
adding subsections to read:
ยง 916. Problem-solving courts.
(a) Establishment.--The court of common pleas of a judicial
district and the Municipal Court of Philadelphia may establish,
from available funds, one or more problem-solving courts which
have specialized jurisdiction, including, but not limited to,
veterans courts, drug courts, mental health courts and driving
under the influence courts, whereby defendants are admitted to a
court-supervised individualized treatment program. The court may
adopt local rules for the administration of problem-solving
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courts and their related treatment services. The local rules may
not be inconsistent with this section or any rules established
by the Supreme Court.
* * *
(d) Veterans courts.--If a court of common pleas or the
Municipal Court of Philadelphia has established a veterans court
under subsection (a), the court may provide for participation by
defendants from adjacent counties. A court of common pleas or
the Municipal Court of Philadelphia may join with courts in
adjacent counties to establish a multicounty veterans court.
(e) Veterans track.--If a court of common pleas or the
Municipal Court of Philadelphia established a problem-solving
court under subsection (a), except for a veterans court, the
court may establish a veterans track within the problem-solving
court. As used in this subsection, the term "veterans track"
means a program that utilizes some components of a veterans
court, including, but not limited to, treatment resources and
veteran mentors and does not have the population and judicial
resources to sustain of a full veterans court.
(f) Local rules.--A court of common pleas or the Municipal
Court of Philadelphia that established a veterans court,
multicounty veterans court or veterans track under this section
may adopt local rules for the administration of the courts and
their related treatment services. The local rules may not be
inconsistent with this section or any rules established by the
Supreme Court.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
20190HB2143PN3061 - 2 -
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