Posted: | January 18, 2017 12:01 PM |
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From: | Representative Dom Costa |
To: | All House members |
Subject: | Contraband in Correctional Facilities |
In the near future, I will be re-introducing legislation – former House Bill 119 of the 2015-2016 Legislative Session – which would double fines for all classes of offenses and create harsher penalties for individuals who possess or deliver contraband materials to a correctional institution, mental hospital, youth development center, or other facility for detention or incarceration pursuant to court order. Specifically, my legislation doubles the fines for all grades of offenses in the Commonwealth. In addition, my proposal increases the grading for delivery and possession of weapons, implements of escape, or dangerous material from a misdemeanor of the first degree to a felony of the second degree. Finally, my bill makes several technical changes regarding definitions in law pertaining to the delivery of money, drugs, and contraband in prisons. While prisons are meant to be institutions for rehabilitation, many of their inhabitants and visitors have attempted to use them to further their criminal enterprise while putting both inmates and staff at risk. I believe this legislation will make our corrections facilities safer and less vulnerable to criminal influence from outside the institution. Please join me in co-sponsoring this important legislation. |
Introduced as HB329