Bill Text: PA SB278 | 2013-2014 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: In Judicial Conduct Board, providing for review of complaints, for criminal investigations and for target letters.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-01-22 - Referred to JUDICIARY [SB278 Detail]
Download: Pennsylvania-2013-SB278-Introduced.html
| PRINTER'S NO. 185 |
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. | 278 | Session of 2013 |
INTRODUCED BY GREENLEAF, FARNESE, VULAKOVICH, WASHINGTON, TARTAGLIONE, ERICKSON, RAFFERTY, YUDICHAK, BOSCOLA AND BAKER, JANUARY 22, 2013
REFERRED TO JUDICIARY, JANUARY 22, 2013
AN ACT
1Amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the
2Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in Judicial Conduct
3Board, providing for review of complaints, for criminal
4investigations and for target letters.
5The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
6hereby enacts as follows:
7Section 1. Title 42 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
8Statutes is amended by adding sections to read:
9§ 2107. Review of complaints.
10(a) Review and determination.--The Judicial Conduct Board
11shall review every complaint filed against a judicial officer
12that addresses potential ethical violations and shall make a
13determination whether further action should be taken on the
14complaint.
15(b) Chief counsel.--A complaint shall not be dismissed
16solely upon the review of and a decision by the chief counsel of
17the board.
18§ 2108. Criminal investigations.
1(a) Deferral prohibited.--The Judicial Conduct Board shall
2not defer the active investigation of a complaint against a
3judicial officer that addresses potential ethical violations
4because of a pending grand jury investigation or other law
5enforcement investigation arising from the same conduct.
6(b) Notification of prosecutor.--If the board is aware that
7there is a pending criminal investigation, the board shall
8notify the appropriate prosecuting attorney that the board is
9investigating the conduct as well.
10§ 2109. Target letters.
11(a) Duty of judicial officer.--A judicial officer who
12receives a letter from a prosecuting attorney indicating that
13the judicial officer is the subject of a grand jury
14investigation or other law enforcement investigation shall
15within ten days notify the Judicial Conduct Board in writing
16that the letter was received and shall attach a copy of the
17letter to the notification.
18(b) Duty of board.--Upon receipt of notification under
19subsection (a), the board shall initiate an investigation of
20potential ethical violations arising from the same conduct as
21the criminal investigation.
22Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
