Pennsylvania HB 879: An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in riot, disorderly conduct and related offenses, providing for concurrent jurisdiction to prosecute.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 919
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 879
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY ISAACSON, BRENNAN, BURGOS, CERRATO, CIRESI,
CONKLIN, DALEY, DEASY, GALLAGHER, GIRAL, GREEN, HILL-EVANS,
HOHENSTEIN, HOWARD, McNEILL, PROBST, SANCHEZ, SCHLOSSBERG AND
STEELE, MARCH 11, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, MARCH 11, 2025
AN ACT
Amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in riot, disorderly conduct and
related offenses, providing for concurrent jurisdiction to
prosecute.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 18 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
§ 5562. Concurrent jurisdiction to prosecute.
(a) Jurisdiction.--
(1) In addition to the authority conferred upon the
Attorney General by the act of October 15, 1980 (P.L.950,
No.164), known as the Commonwealth Attorneys Act, and in
accordance with paragraphs (2) and (3), the Attorney General
shall have the authority to investigate and institute
criminal proceedings for a felony offense under this
subchapter.
(2) The Attorney General may submit a written request to
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prosecute a felony offense under this subchapter in a
criminal court or juvenile delinquency court. The request
must be submitted to the district attorney with jurisdiction
over the prosecution of the felony offense.
(3) If the district attorney with jurisdiction over the
prosecution of the felony offense fails to respond within 90
days to the request made under paragraph (2), the Attorney
General shall send a subsequent written request by certified
or registered mail, and, if the district attorney fails to
respond to the subsequent request within 10 days of the date
of the subsequent request, the request shall be deemed
approved.
(b) District attorney.--A district attorney with
jurisdiction over the prosecution of the felony offense may
request the Attorney General to investigate and institute
criminal proceedings in a felony case under this subchapter.
(c) Manual.--The Attorney General shall develop and maintain
a manual of best practices for the investigation and institution
of criminal proceedings under this subchapter that shall be made
available on the Attorney General's publicly accessible Internet
website.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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