June 29, 2010, 1:16 pm
The Senate Judiciary Committee met this morning to consider several bills and a judicial nomination. The nomination of Robert Freedberg as a judge on the Superior Court was unanimously moved forward. The committee considered several bills, all of which were moved forward unanimously with minimal discussion, except for SB 99 which would create a criminal penalty for negligent parents. The bill was amended and reported with Senators Earll and Gordner voting in the negative due to concerns that the bill would create a crime for poor parenting.
Look for the complete story in the Capitol Toolbox later this afternoon.
June 8, 2010, 1:44 pm
In the first of two scheduled public hearings, the Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony from experts on “best practices” in the juvenile justice system in Pennsylvania. Among those presenting testimony was Judge John Cleland who chaired the Interbranch Commission on Juvenile Justice. Chairman Stewart Greenleaf (R-Montgomery) said, “It is imperative that we get it right for those who come in contact with the system early in life when we can most effectively prevent them from becoming lifetime offenders that will cost the state hundreds of thousands of dollars to detain.” Check the Capitol Toolbox later today for the full story.
May 25, 2010, 12:37 pm
The Senate Judiciary Committee held a voting meeting this morning to consider three bills and a resolution. SB 1340 was reported as committed. SB 1360 was reported as amended. SR 344 was reported as committed and HB 264 was reported as amended. Check the Capitol Toolbox for all the details.
March 16, 2010, 12:40 pm
The Senate Judiciary Committee met today to consider a number of bills and act on three nominations. SB 707, Senator John Eichelberger’s (R-Blair) bill defining marriage as between a man and a woman, was tabled by an 8-6 vote. The nominations of Joseph Van Jura and Lewis Wetzel for Judge of the Court of Common Pleas for Luzerne County were favorably reported to the Rules Committee along with the nomination of John Tuttle to the Board of Probation and Parole. SBs 1198 and 1238 were reported as committed with SR 256. HB 1720 was reported as amended. The full story will be available later in the Capitol Toolbox.
January 26, 2010, 2:47 pm
The committee reported out six bills. Reported as amended were: SB 1074 prohibiting the use of restraints on any prisoner or detainee known to be pregnant under certain circumstances; SB 1044 providing for drug redistribution within correctional facilities; SB 1169 requiring a defendant to pay costs; HB 1827 increasing the grading when bodily injury occurs as the result of the offense of trademark counterfeiting and making various other changes relating to trademark counterfeiting; and HB 1332 providing for confidential communications between a critical incident stress management team member and law enforcement officers, firefighters, first responders and correction officers. The committee reported as committed SB 1193 authorizing county courts of common pleas to establish a program to impose immediate sanctions on offenders who violate their probation. Check the Capitol Toolbox later today for the full story.
December 15, 2009, 12:33 pm
The House and Senate Judiciary Committees held a joint hearing to receive a report on offense grading in Pennsylvania. The Criminal Law Research Group of the University of Pennsylvania Law School submitted the report highlighting numerous inconsistencies in the grading of offences in the state. The report also detailed how the current grading system is out of touch with what Pennsylvanians believe should be the punishments for numerous offenses. Check the Capitol Toolbox later for the full story.
November 16, 2009, 1:30 pm
The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing this morning on the issue of prison overcrowding in Pennsylvania. The Committee heard testimony from the Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing, the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole, the Pennsylvania Prison Society and the ACLU. A number of recommendations were given to the committee to slow the growth of our prison population. Check the Capitol Toolbox later for the full story.
July 20, 2009, 12:09 pm
The committee met to consider the nomination of Mark D. Stevens to the Court of Common Pleas in Crawford County, and Michael F. Marmo to the Court of Common Pleas in Allegheny County. Both men were unanimously referred to the Rules Committee. Check the Capitol Toolbox later today for the full story.
July 14, 2009, 1:27 pm
The Senate Judiciary Committee met this afternoon to consider five House Bills. HBs 39, 222, 1607 and 1648 were all unanimously reported as committed with little to no discussion. HB 485 was unanimously reported with an amendment.
Look for the complete story in the Capitol Toolbox later this afternoon.
June 30, 2009, 12:32 pm
The Senate Judiciary Committee held a meeting today to consider several to consider several nominations for judgeships across the state. Robert O. Baldi for the Court of Common Pleas, Bucks County; Farley Toothman for the Court of Common Pleas, Greene County; Kenneth Mummah, for the Court of Common Pleas, Juniata/Perry Counties; John Pavlock, for the Court of Common Pleas McKean County; Roger Gordon, for the Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County; Kenneth Powell, for the Philadelphia Municipal Court and Joseph Waters, also for the Philadelphia Municipal Court were all unanimously referred to the Senate floor for confirmation.
