PRINTER'S NO. 149
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
191
Session of
2023
INTRODUCED BY D. MILLER, BULLOCK, FREEMAN, MADDEN, HILL-EVANS,
SANCHEZ, KINSEY, KHAN, CIRESI, HOHENSTEIN, KRAJEWSKI,
DELLOSO, DEASY, KINKEAD AND N. NELSON, MARCH 8, 2023
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, MARCH 8, 2023
AN ACT
Amending Title 61 (Prisons and Parole) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in safe community reentry, further
providing for definitions and for Safe Community Reentry
Program.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 4902 of Title 61 of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding a definition to read:
§ 4902. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
* * *
"Reentry certificate." A certificate that serves as proof of
participation in the program and completion of all approved
programs while incarcerated.
Section 2. Section 4903 of Title 61 is amended by adding
subsections to read:
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§ 4903. Safe Community Reentry Program.
* * *
(f) Reentry certificate.--
(1) Prior to an offender's release, the department shall
issue the offender a reentry certificate, which indicates, at
a minimum, the following:
(i) The needs-assessed treatment programs completed
by the offender.
(ii) The educational programs completed by the
offender, including:
(A) Any academic program that the offender
completed or in which the offender enrolled during
the current incarceration of the offender.
(B) Unless completed as part of an
institutional-based program, all general education
development, high school and higher education program
information self-reported by the offender.
(C) If the offender self-reported completion of
general education development, the high school or
higher education requirements completed.
(D) Any academic program in which the offender
is enrolled during the current incarceration of the
offender and the current status as of the date of the
reentry certificate.
(iii) The vocational and work history of the
offender, including job skills, work details, on-the-job
training and vocational education participation.
(iv) The p ersonal development of the offender and
other special programs in which the offender
participated, including:
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(A) Voluntary programming completed by the
offender that is beyond the programs required or
identified through an assessment.
(B) Programs that the offender believes will
enhance the overall development of the offender and
the successful reentry of the offender into the
community.
(2) The department shall provide for the creation and
printing of a reentry certificate for an offender at the
facility where the offender is located.
(3) If, for any reason, the offender is deemed
ineligible for release after the printing of the reentry
certificate, the department shall destroy the reentry
certificate.
(4) If a discrepancy in the information provided on the
reentry certificate is discovered, the offender may request a
corrective reprint of the reentry certificate subject to
verification by the department.
(5) After release from incarceration, the offender may
request copies of the reentry certificate from the
department. Copies shall be printed and notarized by the
facility where the offender was incarcerated.
(6) A r eentry certificate presented to an employer shall
create a presumption of due care as to the hiring of an
individual to whom the reentry certificate was issued in
relation to the individual's stated programmatic progress,
educational advancement, workforce skills and completion of
the program.
(g) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be
construed to relieve an employer from ensuring the completion of
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a required background clearance, meeting any other related
industry standard or providing appropriate supervision for the
position.
Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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