Senate Resolution No. 194 of 2007 states that “Pennsylvania’s public health law is a patchwork of statutes mostly contained in Purdon’s Title 35 (Health and Safety), but also scattered throughout other titles, old case law and State and local regulations” with many of the Commonwealth’s public health statutes dating to the 1950s or earlier. 

This resolution directed “the Joint State Government Commission to establish a legislative task force with an advisory committee of experts to review, update and codify Pennsylvania’s public health law.” 

The Task Force on Public Health Law, a bipartisan panel of Senators, consists of Senator Edwin B. Erickson (Chair), Senator James Ferlo, Senator Stewart J. Greenleaf and Senator Shirley M. Kitchen. 

The Advisory Committee on Public Health Law was appointed and represents a broad range of expertise and background in law, medicine and education.  It includes attorneys, judges, professors, graduate school deans, physicians, nurses, public health administrators, medical directors and officers, an epidemiologist, and representatives from the court system and the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

The Advisory Committee agreed to form five subcommittees to assist in reviewing specific topics and developing proposed legislation involving public health law:  Behavioral Health, Data, Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Emergency and Disaster Preparedness and Response, and the Public Health System.

In 2012, the Advisory Committee decided to release a report containing background information to allow additional time for continued work on each subcommittee’s proposed legislation and recommendations.

In January 2013, the Task Force authorized the publication of this report:

Public Health Law in Pennsylvania

Report of the Advisory Committee on Public Health Law

As each public health law topic area is completed through subcommittee or staff review and deliberation, the Advisory Committee as a whole will finalize the codification of each topic area, with ultimate consideration by the Task Force.  It is anticipated that a separate report will be issued for each topic area.

The Joint State Government Commission of the Pennsylvania General Assembly released a report on the criminal justice system of Philadelphia. The report was mandated by 2010 Senate Resolution 344, whose prime sponsor was Senator Stewart J. Greenleaf. The study was prompted by a series of articles that appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer on December 13–16, 2009, which presented a scathing indictment of the system. The principal deficiencies were found to be high violent crime rates, low conviction rates, a dysfunctional bail system, and witness intimidation. The commission was directed to arrive at recommendations to address these problems. Under the guidance of the sponsors of the resolution, commission staff assembled a 34-member advisory committee, headed by
David Sonenshein, professor of law at Temple University’s Beasley School of Law.

Findings

·        Since the publication of the Inquirer’s critique, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, the First Judicial District, the District Attorney, the City Administration, the Defender Association, and private stakeholders have come together to formulate and implement a wide variety of measures to address the system’s deficiencies. The initial results of this reform initiative have been very positive. A great deal of progress has been made in the last three years.

·        Attempts to improve the City’s criminal justice system face a chronic shortage of funds and other resources.

·        Among the most important measures that have been taken to improve the system are:

o       the consolidation of hearings and trials in the Criminal Justice Center

o       more accurate charging of offenses

o       advances in electronic filing and discovery

o       implementation of techniques to counter witness intimidation in court

Recommendations

            At the same time, further measures are needed to further reform the system. The Advisory Committee made recommendations under four topics: pretrial services and bail, witness intimidation, court procedure, and technology.

·    Update the guidelines for setting bail

·    Expand use of nonfinancial pretrial release conditions

·    The committee was split over whether to encourage the participation of private bail sureties

·    Create a witness intimidation investigation and prosecution unit under the District Attorney

·    Commence criminal proceedings before an indicting grand jury if witness intimidation is taking place or appears to be a serious threat

·    Try felony cases in absentia (outside the defendant’s presence) if the defendant deliberately fails to attend the trial

In December 2011, the General Assembly established a Task Force on Child Protection to conduct a comprehensive review of the laws and procedures relating to the reporting of child abuse and the protection of the health and safety of children. The Task Force represented a broad cross-section of the Commonwealth, in terms of profession, experience, expertise, philosophy and geography. The Department of Public Welfare, the Joint State Government Commission and the Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission provided administrative and technical assistance to the Task Force.

SUMMARY - Report on Guardianship Law, October 2012              

               Senate Resolution No. 46 of 1945 directed the Commission to study decedents’ estates laws in the Commonwealth, and in July 1945, the Commission created the Task Force and Advisory Committee on Decedents’ Estates Laws.

S U M M A R Y – Report on Human Trafficking in Pennsylvania

The crime of human trafficking is growing in Pennsylvania, and the Commonwealth has seen many local and regional collaborative responses rise to combat this crime. Inroads have been made in public awareness, training first responders, and in providing services to the many victims. This study by the Joint State Government Commission proposes numerous reforms, including draft legislation, to help accelerate efforts to combat human trafficking in the state. The study was conducted under Senate Resolution 253 of 2010, sponsored by Senator Stewart Greenleaf, and was aided by an Advisory Committee of experts. For the first time, a proposed state plan addresses human trafficking, coordinates services, enhances collaboration and strengthens Pennsylvania law. Highlights of the report include:

Findings:

• The two most common forms of human trafficking – sex trafficking and labor
  trafficking – obtained through the use of force, fraud or coercion, exist in Pennsylvania.
• It is the second largest form of organized crime in the world behind the illegal drug trade.
• 12.3 million people worldwide are victims of trafficking.
• Pennsylvania is a source, destination and pass-through state for trafficking in persons.
• Trafficking victims may be hard to identify and are sometimes treated as criminals.
• Public awareness and professional training, increased penalties and access to victim services are crucial for combating human trafficking.
• Success in combating human trafficking requires concerted efforts of organizations and agencies on the regional, national and international levels.

Recommendations:

• Recommendations contained in the report focus on three specific areas: Prevention and Awareness; Investigations and Prosecution; and Protection and Support.
• This report proposes a new Chapter 30 (Human Trafficking) of Title 18 Pa.C.S., including:
  • a state Council for the prevention of human trafficking within PCCD;
  • clear definitions of sex and labor trafficking;
  • increased fines and penalties for trafficking and involuntary servitude, and adds penalties for business entities, including license revocation and forfeiture of contracts;
  • participation in the national human trafficking hotline;
  • increased training for first responders;
  • expanded resources available to victim service providers.

• Enacting these policy and legislative recommendations will increase the training and awareness of law enforcement and first responders, expand the legal tools available for prosecutors and investigators, and provide more resources to victim service providers and advocates.