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PRINTER'S NO. 1689
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1557
Session of
2021
INTRODUCED BY HARKINS, KINSEY, HANBIDGE, HOWARD, DAVIDSON,
MERSKI, DELLOSO, CONKLIN, FREEMAN, HILL-EVANS, SCHLOSSBERG,
DRISCOLL, SANCHEZ, PASHINSKI, GALLOWAY, O'MARA AND CIRESI,
JUNE 7, 2021
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, JUNE 7, 2021
AN ACT
Amending the act of November 22, 1978 (P.L.1166, No.274),
entitled "An act establishing the Pennsylvania Commission on
Crime and Delinquency, providing for its powers and duties
establishing several advisory committees within the
commission and providing for their powers and duties,"
further providing for Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and
Delinquency; and establishing the Mental Health and Justice
Advisory Committee and the Mental Health and Justice Grant
Program.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 2(d)(2) of the act of November 22, 1978
(P.L.1166, No.274), referred to as the Pennsylvania Commission
on Crime and Delinquency Law, is amended and subsection (b) is
amended by adding a paragraph to read:
Section 2. Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.
* * *
(b) Composition.--The commission shall consist of the
following members:
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(17.3) Chairperson of the Mental Health and Justice
Advisory Committee.
* * *
(d) Term of office.--
* * *
(2) The term of the chairman of the Juvenile Justice and
Delinquency Prevention Committee and the chairperson of the
Mental Health and Justice Advisory Committee shall be
concurrent with [his] their service as [chairman of that
committee] chairpersons of their respective committees.
* * *
Section 2. The act is amended by adding sections to read:
Section 7.3. Mental Health and Justice Advisory Committee.
(a) Establishment.--The Mental Health and Justice Advisory
Committee is established within the commission.
(b) Composition.--The members of the committee shall be
appointed by the Governor and shall include:
(1) Representatives of:
(i) The Department of Corrections.
(ii) The Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs.
(iii) The Department of Military and Veterans
Affairs.
(iv) The Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse
Services of the Department of Human Services.
(v) The Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole.
(vi) The Administrative Office of Pennsylvania
Courts.
(vii) The Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing.
(viii) Units of local government.
(ix) Public and private agencies and organizations
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that provide or advocate for mental health treatment and
services.
(x) Agencies that provide housing for the mentally
ill.
(xi) Victim service agencies.
(2) Drug and alcohol treatment providers.
(3) Police.
(4) District attorneys.
(5) Public defenders.
(6) Judges of the courts of common pleas.
(7) County adult and juvenile probation officers.
(8) County wardens.
(9) Other individuals with expertise in the public
safety response and management, treatment or provision of
services to individuals with mental illness involved in the
juvenile justice or criminal justice system.
(c) Term.--A member shall serve for a four-year term and may
be appointed for no more than one additional consecutive term.
(d) Number and qualifications.--The committee shall consist
of no more than 33 members, all of whom must have experience in
the public safety response and management, treatment or
provision of services to individuals with mental illness
involved in the juvenile justice or criminal justice system.
(e) Conditions of appointment.--The committee and its
members are subject to the same limitations and conditions
imposed upon the commission as prescribed in section 2(d), (e),
(h), (i), (m) and (n).
(f) Quorum.--A majority of the members shall constitute a
quorum and a vote of the majority of the members present shall
be sufficient for all actions.
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(g) Chairperson.--The Governor shall appoint a chairperson
from among the members of the committee who shall serve at the
pleasure of the Governor. A vice chairperson shall be designated
by the chairperson and preside at meetings in the absence of the
chairperson. The committee shall meet at the call of the
chairperson, but not less than four times a year.
(h) Powers and duties.--The committee shall have the power
and its duty shall be:
(1) To serve in an advisory capacity to the commission
through the committee's participation in the development of
that part of the commission's comprehensive plan relating to
the provision of treatment and services to individuals with
mental illness involved in the juvenile justice and criminal
justice systems.
(2) To serve the commission in an advisory capacity
relating to the direct approval and disbursement of financial
assistance.
(3) To advise the commission on the definition,
development and correlation of programs and projects and the
establishment of priorities for the provision of treatment
and services to individuals with mental illness involved in
the juvenile justice and criminal justice systems.
(4) Upon request, to provide assistance and advice to
the commission on any other matters relating to the provision
of treatment and services to individuals with mental illness
involved in the juvenile justice and criminal justice
systems.
(i) Resource and staff support.--The Department of Human
Services and the Department of Corrections shall cooperate with
the commission in providing resources to the commission in
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support of the committee. Staff support shall be made available
to the committee by the executive director in order to
adequately perform the duties provided for in this section.
Section 8.2. Mental Health and Justice Grant Program.
(a) Establishment.--The Mental Health and Justice Grant
Program is established within the commission. The purpose of the
program shall be to provide grants in accordance with this
section.
(b) Awarding grants.--The commission shall award program
grants to assist in planning, implementing or expanding
initiatives that increase public safety, avert increased
spending on criminal justice and improve the effectiveness of
treatment services for individuals with mental illnesses,
substance abuse disorders or co-occurring mental health and
substance abuse disorders who are involved or at risk of
involvement with the criminal justice system.
(c) Number of grants.--The commission shall base the number
of program grants on the amount of funds appropriated by the
General Assembly and other funds available for the program.
Section 3. This act shall take effect in 90 days.
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