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PRINTER'S NO. 1304
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
918
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY LEACH, OCTOBER 23, 2019
REFERRED TO JUDICIARY, OCTOBER 23, 2019
AN ACT
Amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the
Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in bonds and
recognizances, further providing for right to bail; and
making an appropriation.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 5701 of Title 42 of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes is amended to read:
ยง 5701. Right to bail.
(a) General rule.--All prisoners shall be bailable by
sufficient sureties and may not be imprisoned prior to trial for
inability to satisfy a monetary condition for release, whether
in the form of cash or secured bond, unless:
(1) for capital offenses or for offenses for which the
maximum sentence is life imprisonment; or
(2) no condition or combination of conditions other than
imprisonment will reasonably reduce the risk of flight and
assure the safety of any person and the community when the
proof is evident or presumption great.
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(b) Consideration of risk and safety.--
(1) In assessing the risk of flight under subsection (a)
(2), only prior instances of not appearing for court dates by
the prisoner may be considered.
(2) In assessing safety of any person and the community
under subsection (a)(2) only behavior of the prisoner related
to the current offense and a conviction of a prior offense
may be considered.
Section 2. The sum of $500,000 is hereby appropriated to the
Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency for the purpose
of providing grants to counties to establish and administer
pilot programs for transmitting to defendants electronic text
message reminders relating to appearances at upcoming court
dates.
Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
20190SB0918PN1304 - 2 -
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