An Act amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in judicial boards and commissions, further providing for powers and duties of commission, providing for adoption of guidelines for bail and pretrial release conditions and further providing for publication of guidelines for sentencing, resentencing and parole, risk assessment instrument and recommitment ranges following revocation.

PRINTER'S NO. 1702
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1454
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY BONNER, STAATS, ZIMMERMAN, CIRESI AND GILLEN,
MAY 13, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, MAY 13, 2025
AN ACT
Amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the
Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in judicial boards and
commissions, further providing for powers and duties of
commission, providing for adoption of guidelines for bail and
pretrial release conditions and further providing for
publication of guidelines for sentencing, resentencing and
parole, risk assessment instrument and recommitment ranges
following revocation.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 2153(a)(7), (8), (9), (10), (11), (12),
(13) and (16)(i) and (v) introductory paragraph of Title 42 of
the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended and paragraph
(14) is amended by adding a subparagraph to read:
§ 2153. Powers and duties of commission.
(a) Powers and duties.--The commission, in accordance with
the rules and regulations of the commission, shall have the
powers to:
* * *
(7) Establish a research and development program within
the commission for the purpose of:
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(i) Serving as a clearinghouse and information
center for the collection, preparation and dissemination
of information on Commonwealth sentencing, resentencing
[and], parole and bail practices.
(ii) Assisting and serving in a consulting capacity
to the board, State courts, departments and agencies in
the development, maintenance and coordination of sound
sentencing, resentencing [and], parole and bail
practices.
(8) Collect systematically the data obtained from
studies, research and the empirical experience of public and
private agencies concerning the sentencing and bail
processes.
(9) Publish data concerning the sentencing [and], parole
and bail processes.
(10) Collect systematically and disseminate information
concerning parole dispositions [and], sentences actually
imposed and bail and pretrial release conditions set,
including initial sentences and any subsequent modification
of sentences or resentences following revocation or remand,
and parole and reparole decisions by the board and any other
parole authority.
(11) Collect systematically and disseminate information
regarding effectiveness of parole dispositions [and],
sentences imposed and bail and pretrial release conditions
set.
(12) Make recommendations to the General Assembly
concerning modification or enactment of sentencing, parole
[and], bail and correctional statutes which the commission
finds to be necessary and advisable to carry out an
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effective, humane and rational sentencing, resentencing, bail
and parole policy.
(13) Establish a plan and timetable to collect and
disseminate information relating to incapacitation,
recidivism, deterrence and overall effectiveness of sentences
[and], parole dispositions imposed and bail regulations and
guidelines.
(14) Establish a program to systematically monitor
compliance with the guidelines, with the risk assessment
instrument, with recommitment ranges and with mandatory
sentencing laws to document eligibility for a release in
accordance with a county reentry plan, to document
eligibility for and imposition of recidivism risk reduction
incentive minimum sentences and to document all parole and
reparole decisions by the board and any other paroling
authority by:
* * *
(i.1) Promulgating forms which document the
application of bail and pretrial release conditions
guidelines.
* * *
(16) Report to the General Assembly on:
(i) implementation of revisions to the guidelines
under sections 2154 (relating to adoption of guidelines
for sentencing) [and], 2154.1 (relating to adoption of
guidelines for restrictive conditions) and 2154.8
(relating to adoption of guidelines for bail and pretrial
release conditions);
* * *
(v) evaluations of the effectiveness and cost-
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benefit of various criminal justice interventions and
programming, including restrictive conditions of bail,
probation, recidivism risk reduction incentive programs,
the State Drug Treatment Program, the State Motivational
Boot Camp Program, pretrial diversion programs, prisoner
treatment programs and prison reentry programs. For
evaluations of the effectiveness and cost-benefit of a
program in reducing recidivism, the commission shall
report on:
* * *
Section 2. Title 42 is amended by adding a section to read:
§ 2154.8. Adoption of guidelines for bail and pretrial release
conditions.
(a) Duty of commission.--The commission shall recommend to
the General Assembly guidelines for the setting of bail and
pretrial release conditions within the limits established by law
which shall be considered by any court exercising its power to
set bail and pretrial release conditions. In adopting the
guidelines, the commission shall recommend bail and pretrial
release conditions that are consistent with:
(i) the protection of the public;
(ii) the gravity of the offense charge as it relates
to the victim and community; and
(iii) the constitutional rights of the defendant.
(b) Factors.--The guidelines shall address the following
factors:
(1) The seriousness of the offense charged, by
specifying the range of bail and pretrial release conditions
applicable to crimes of a given degree of gravity.
(2) Criminal history, by specifying a range of bail and
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pretrial release conditions of increased amounts or
restrictions for defendants previously convicted of or
adjudicated delinquent for one or more misdemeanor or felony
offenses committed prior to the current offense. The
commission may exclude or reduce the valuation of less
serious offenses and increase the valuation of offenses
committed while under supervision or in a temporal or offense
pattern.
(3) Criminal behavior, by specifying a range of bail and
pretrial release conditions of increased amounts or
restrictions for defendants who are alleged to have attempted
to inflict or inflicted substantial harm or threatened to or
caused a significant risk of death during the commission of
the alleged offense.
(4) Failure to appear, by specifying a range of bail and
pretrial release conditions of increased amounts or
restrictions for defendants who have previously been released
on bail and have failed to appear as required or complied
with the conditions of a bail bond.
(5) Community-based support systems, including:
(i) the presence of family with whom the accused
resides;
(ii) current connections to a school or employment
within the court's jurisdiction; and
(iii) membership or current participation in
organized social groups, athletic teams or religious
organizations.
(c) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
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"Previously convicted of or adjudicated delinquent." Any
finding of guilt or adjudication of delinquency, whether or not
sentence has been imposed or disposition ordered, prior to the
commission of the current alleged offense.
Section 3. Section 2155(a)(1) introductory paragraph and (c)
(1) of Title 42 are amended to read:
§ 2155. Publication of guidelines for sentencing, resentencing
and parole, risk assessment instrument and
recommitment ranges following revocation.
(a) General rule.--The commission shall:
(1) Prior to adoption, publish in the Pennsylvania
Bulletin all proposed sentencing guidelines, resentencing
guidelines following revocation of probation, guidelines for
restrictive conditions of probation, parole guidelines, bail
and pretrial release conditions guidelines, risk assessment
instrument and recommitment ranges following revocation by
the board of paroles granted, and hold public hearings not
earlier than 30 days and not later than 60 days thereafter to
afford an opportunity for the following persons and
organizations to testify:
* * *
(c) Effective date.--
(1) Sentencing guidelines, resentencing guidelines
following revocation of probation, county intermediate
punishment and State intermediate punishment, parole
guidelines, bail and pretrial release conditions guidelines,
risk assessment instrument and recommitment ranges following
revocation by the board of paroles granted, adopted by the
commission shall become effective 90 days after publication
in the Pennsylvania Bulletin pursuant to subsection (a)(2)
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unless disapproved pursuant to subsection (b) and shall apply
to sentences and resentences and parole decisions made after
the effective date of the guidelines.
* * *
Section 4. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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