Posted: | December 6, 2016 09:40 AM |
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From: | Senator Vincent J. Hughes |
To: | All Senate members |
Subject: | Allowing electronic monitoring of defendants as an option of relief in PFA orders |
In the near future, I plan to reintroduce DB1388, which amends Title 23 to allow a judge to order an electronic monitoring device on a defendant in a protection from abuse (PFA) order. This bill was developed with input from the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Domestic violence continues to plague our communities. Last year, the 60 community centers providing services throughout the Commonwealth assisted more than 89,000 victims of domestic violence. According to statistics from the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts, there were more than 37,000 new PFA cases filed in 2014. My bill amends Title 23 to allow a judge to order a defendant to wear an electronic monitoring device if a defendant is found, by a judge, to present a substantial risk of violating a protection from abuse order. This would not be a mandatory requirement; it would be another option for a relief a judge can order. Previous cosponsors of this bill were: Brewster, Boscola, Fontana, Gordner, Mensch, Schwank, Vulakovich and Yudichak. I hope that you will join me in sponsoring this legislation. If you have any questions, please contact Michael Deery in my office at 787-7112 or at mdeery@pasenate.com. |
Introduced as SB196