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SB744 • 2025

An Act amending Title 61 (Prisons and Parole) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in miscellaneous provisions relating to inmate confinement, providing for overwatch towers.

An Act amending Title 61 (Prisons and Parole) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in miscellaneous provisions relating to inmate confinement, providing for overwatch towers.

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
DUSH
Last action
2025-05-12
Official status
Referred to JUDICIARY, May 12, 2025
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act amending Title 61 (Prisons and Parole) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in miscellaneous provisions relating to inmate confinement, providing for overwatch towers.

An Act amending Title 61 (Prisons and Parole) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in miscellaneous provisions relating to inmate confinement, providing for overwatch towers.

What This Bill Does

  • An Act amending Title 61 (Prisons and Parole) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in miscellaneous provisions relating to inmate confinement, providing for overwatch towers.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2025-05-12 JUDICIARY

    Referred to JUDICIARY, May 12, 2025

Official Summary Text

An Act amending Title 61 (Prisons and Parole) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in miscellaneous provisions relating to inmate confinement, providing for overwatch towers.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
PRINTER'S NO. 794
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 744
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY DUSH, ARGALL, HUTCHINSON, LAUGHLIN AND STEFANO,
MAY 12, 2025
REFERRED TO JUDICIARY, MAY 12, 2025
AN ACT
Amending Title 61 (Prisons and Parole) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in miscellaneous provisions relating
to inmate confinement, providing for overwatch towers.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 61 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
§ 5912. Overwatch towers.
(a) Staffing of overwatch towers.--At a correctional
institution with an overwatch tower, an overwatch tower shall be
manned by corrections officers during any outdoor inmate
movement.
(b) Exceptions.--Subsection (a) shall not apply to an
overwatch tower from which inmates cannot be supervised during
outdoor inmate movement.
(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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"Overwatch tower." A tall building, freestanding or as part
of another structure, from which corrections officers can
supervise inmates.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
20250SB0744PN0794 - 2 -
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