Pennsylvania SB 249: An Act amending the act of November 24, 1998 (P.L.882, No.111), known as the Crime Victims Act, in crime victims, further providing for responsibilities of State and local law enforcement agencies.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 201
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 249
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY COLEMAN, FONTANA, ROTHMAN, BROWN, COSTA, MILLER,
CULVER AND LAUGHLIN, FEBRUARY 13, 2025
REFERRED TO JUDICIARY, FEBRUARY 13, 2025
AN ACT
Amending the act of November 24, 1998 (P.L.882, No.111),
entitled "An act providing for victims' rights; imposing
penalties; establishing remedies; establishing the Office of
Victim Advocate, the Bureau of Victims' Services, the
Victims' Services Advisory Committee, the State Offender
Supervision Fund and other funds; and making repeals," in
crime victims, further providing for responsibilities of
State and local law enforcement agencies.
This act may be referred to as Tara's Law.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 212 of the act of November 24, 1998
(P.L.882, No.111), known as the Crime Victims Act, is amended by
adding a subsection to read:
Section 212. Responsibilities of State and local law
enforcement agencies.
* * *
(h) Release of identification.--
(1) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (2), a law
enforcement agency shall make a reasonable effort to contact
a surviving family member of a direct victim of murder or
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intervenor before publicly releasing the identification of
the direct victim or intervenor.
(2) A law enforcement agency may publicly release the
identification of a direct victim of murder or intervenor
without notification of the death to a surviving family
member if the release is necessary for the investigation of
the murder.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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