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PA HR99

PA HR99
A Concurrent Resolution directing the Joint State Government Commission to establish a bipartisan task force to study any consolidated or unconsolidated State statutes in the Pennsylvania Crimes Code, Judicial Code, Sentencing Code or elsewhere under which a term of imprisonment and other collateral consequences may be imposed in order to identify redundant, overlapping and inconsistent offenses, improper grading and gaps in criminal liability, out-of-date, antiquated, offensive or unenforceable


summary

Introduced
03/03/2025
In Committee
03/03/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead

Introduced Session

2025-2026 Regular Session

Bill Summary

A Concurrent Resolution directing the Joint State Government Commission to establish a bipartisan task force to study any consolidated or unconsolidated State statutes in the Pennsylvania Crimes Code, Judicial Code, Sentencing Code or elsewhere under which a term of imprisonment and other collateral consequences may be imposed in order to identify redundant, overlapping and inconsistent offenses, improper grading and gaps in criminal liability, out-of-date, antiquated, offensive or unenforceable language and to make recommendations to the General Assembly.

AI Summary

This concurrent resolution directs the Joint State Government Commission to establish a bipartisan task force to comprehensively review Pennsylvania's criminal statutes, including the Crimes Code, Judicial Code, and Sentencing Code. The task force aims to address the significant expansion of criminal offenses since 1972, when the Crimes Code originally contained 282 offenses and has since grown to over 1,500, often without thorough review. The resolution calls for a detailed examination to identify redundant, overlapping, and inconsistent criminal offenses, improper offense grading, and potential gaps in criminal liability. The task force will be composed of four legislators (two from the Senate and two from the House of Representatives) and will create a 30-member advisory committee representing various criminal justice stakeholders, including the Attorney General's Office, law enforcement, public defenders, and criminal justice organizations. The group will study existing codes, identify deficiencies, and make recommendations to the General Assembly for updating and improving the statutes, with a particular focus on eliminating outdated, offensive, or unenforceable language. The task force is required to submit its findings and recommendations within two years of the resolution's adoption, with the broader goal of creating a more rational, comprehensible, and consistent criminal code that reflects the values of Pennsylvania residents.

Committee Categories

Justice

Sponsors (15)

Last Action

Reported as committed (on 06/30/2025)

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