An Act amending the act of November 22, 1978 (P.L.1166, No.274), referred to as the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency Law, providing for Public Safety Resident Communications Pilot Program.

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 638 PRINTER'S NO. 1947
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 627
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY SOLOMON, HILL-EVANS, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, CERRATO,
SANCHEZ AND GREEN, FEBRUARY 20, 2025
AS AMENDED ON SECOND CONSIDERATION, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
JUNE 17, 2025
AN ACT
Amending the act of November 22, 1978 (P.L.1166, No.274),
entitled "An act establishing the Pennsylvania Commission on
Crime and Delinquency, providing for its powers and duties
establishing several advisory committees within the
commission and providing for their powers and duties,"
providing for Public Safety Resident Communications Pilot
Program.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of November 22, 1978 (P.L.1166, No.274),
referred to as the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and
Delinquency Law, is amended by adding a section to read:
Section 7.3. Public Safety Resident Communications Pilot
Program.
(a) Establishment.--The Public Safety Resident
Communications Pilot Program is established in the commission.
(b) Administration.--The program shall provide grants to law
enforcement agencies to support the purchase and implementation
of community engagement software to the extent funding is made
available to the program.
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(c) Applications.--The commission shall prescribe the form
and manner in which an application may be submitted to receive a
grant award under the program.
(d) Use of grants.--Law enforcement agencies may use a grant
award under this program to support the purchase and
implementation of community engagement software. The software
shall:
(1) Supplement and integrate with the existing public
safety notification systems, including computer-aided
dispatch systems, victims' notification systems or other
notification systems of the law enforcement agency.
(2) Not duplicate existing public safety notification
systems under paragraph (1).
(3) Meet law enforcement notification responsibilities
under the act of November 24, 1998 (P.L.882, No.111), known
as the "Crime Victims Act."
(e) Supplement not supplant.--Grant money allocated through
the program shall be used to supplement and not supplant
existing funding. Nothing in this section shall be construed to
prohibit a law enforcement agency from making an application to
receive a grant award under the program in a subsequent year for
the same purpose and amount as in a prior year.
(f) Diversity.--The commission shall ensure that grant
awards made under the program are geographically dispersed
throughout this Commonwealth.
(g) Performance metrics.--The commission shall include
performance metrics to measure the progress of grants awarded
under the program.
(h) Confidentiality.--A record created or obtained through
the implementation or operation of the program shall be
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confidential and is exempt from access under the act of February
14, 2008 (P.L.6, No.3), known as the "Right-to-Know Law."
(I) PROTECTIONS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND COMMUNITY.--ANY
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SOFTWARE PROCURED AND IMPLEMENTED UNDER THE
PROGRAM SHALL ONLY BE USED INTERNALLY BY A LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCY FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF SAFETY OF THE COMMUNITY, REVIEW
AND IMPROVEMENT OF POLICING SERVICES AND TIMELY UPDATES ON KEY
PERSONNEL AND CASE STATUS.
(i) (J) 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:
"Community engagement software." An accessible digital
technology tool or platform that allows for customizable and
automated public safety communications from a law enforcement
agency to victims of crime and concerned citizens. The software
shall also include a survey function that allows the law
enforcement agency to gather information to improve services,
track initiatives and identify issues.
"Law enforcement agency." A district attorney's office or a
public agency of a political subdivision having general police
powers and charged with making arrests in connection with the
enforcement of the criminal or traffic laws.
"Program." The Public Safety Resident Communications Pilot
Program established under subsection (a).
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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