PRINTER'S NO. 731
No. 688 Session of 1997
INTRODUCED BY BODACK, WILLIAMS, AFFLERBACH, WAGNER, KASUNIC,
MELLOW, BELAN, KITCHEN, WOZNIAK, O'PAKE, COSTA AND MUSTO,
MARCH 13, 1997
REFERRED TO JUDICIARY, MARCH 13, 1997
AN ACT
1 Prohibiting the employment of inmates at correctional facilities
2 by private contractors; and imposing a penalty.
3 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
4 hereby enacts as follows:
5 Section 1. Short title.
6 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Prison Labor
7 Prohibition Act.
8 Section 2. Definitions.
9 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
10 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
11 context clearly indicates otherwise:
12 "Correctional facility." Any jail, prison or detention
13 facility operated by the Commonwealth or by a county or jointly
14 by more than one county and used for the detention and
15 confinement of persons convicted and under sentence for
16 violations of the criminal laws of this Commonwealth. For
17 purposes of this act, the term shall also include any
1 motivational boot camp as defined in section 3 of the act of
2 December 19, 1990 (P.L.1391, No.215), known as the Motivational
3 Boot Camp Act. The term does not include any correctional
4 facility used for the detention and confinement of juvenile
5 offenders.
6 "Inmate." An individual who has been convicted of an
7 indictable offense and is serving a sentence in a correctional
8 facility.
9 "Private contractor." An individual, firm, partnership,
10 corporation or other lawful commercial enterprise.
11 Section 3. Employment of inmates prohibited.
12 A private contractor shall not employ, or enter into a
13 contract that provides for the employment of, inmates in
14 correctional facilities.
15 Section 4. Certain contracts void.
16 A contract or any provision of a contract that is contrary to
17 section 3 shall be void and unenforceable.
18 Section 5. Penalty.
19 A person who violates this act commits a misdemeanor of the
20 third degree.
21 Section 6. Repeals.
22 All acts and parts of acts are repealed insofar as they are
23 inconsistent with this act. This act shall not, however, affect
24 or change the method or manner of inmate work assignments within
25 correctional facilities or the statutory authority to compel
26 inmate labor on behalf of the Commonwealth or any political
27 subdivision thereof.
28 Section 7. Effective date.
29 This act shall take effect in 60 days.
B21L61BIL/19970S0688B0731 - 2 -