Bill Text: PA HB1999 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Providing for special sentencing rules for certain youthful offenders; and imposing duties on the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.

Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 13-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-09-22 - Referred to JUDICIARY [HB1999 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2009-HB1999-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 2699
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1999 Session of2009
INTRODUCED BY JOHNSON, WATERS, CALTAGIRONE, EACHUS, MUNDY, BELFANTI, CREIGHTON, JOSEPHS, PARKER, PAYTON, PRESTON, SIPTROTH, THOMAS AND WHEATLEY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2009
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2009
AN ACT
Amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the
Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for special
sentencing rules for certain youthful offenders; and imposing
duties on the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and
Delinquency.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 42 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
§ 9720.3. Special sentencing rules for certain youthful
offenders.
(a) Abolition of life sentence without parole.--
Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary:
(1) A sentence of life imprisonment imposed after the
effective date of this section upon an offender who was under
18 years of age at the time of commission of the offense
shall include the possibility of parole as provided in
subsection (b).
(2) Any person not covered by paragraph (1) who is
serving a sentence of life imprisonment for an offense
committed while the person was under 18 years of age may
apply for resentencing and upon application shall receive a
life sentence that includes the possibility of parole as
provided in subsection (b).
(b) Parole.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law to
the contrary, a sentence of life imprisonment for an offense
committed by an offender who was under 18 years of age at the
time of commission of the offense shall include, at a minimum, a
provision permitting the offender to apply for parole at 31
years of age and every three years thereafter.
(c) Annual statistics.--The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime
and Delinquency shall annually collect, assemble and publish
pertinent statistics relating to each youthful defendant tried
as an adult in criminal court during the preceding calendar
year, including, but not limited to:
(1) Demographic information such as age, race and sex of
the defendant.
(2) The manner by which the offender came to be tried as
an adult.
(3) The defendant's prior criminal record, if any.
(4) The outcome of the trial, including the precise
sentence received, if any.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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