HB 1237 — An Act amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in organization and jurisdiction of courts of common pleas, further providing for problem-solving courts; and, in sentencing, further providing for modification or revocation of order of probation.

PRINTER'S NO.    1388

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 1237
                                                Session of
                                                  2025

     INTRODUCED BY PIELLI, BURGOS, HILL-EVANS, DONAHUE, GIRAL,
        D. WILLIAMS, SANCHEZ, HOWARD, RABB, WARREN AND RIVERA,
        APRIL 17, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, APRIL 17, 2025


                                     AN ACT
 1   Amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the
 2      Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in organization and
 3      jurisdiction of courts of common pleas, further providing for
 4      problem-solving courts; and, in sentencing, further providing
 5      for modification or revocation of order of probation.
 6      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 7   hereby enacts as follows:
 8      Section 1.     Section 916 heading, (a), (b), (c) and (e) of
 9   Title 42 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended
10   to read:
11   § 916.   [Problem-solving] Treatment courts.
12      (a)     Establishment.--The court of common pleas of a judicial
13   district and the Municipal Court of Philadelphia may establish,
14   from available funds, one or more [problem-solving] treatment
15   courts which have specialized jurisdiction, including, but not
16   limited to, veterans courts, drug courts, mental health courts
17   and driving under the influence courts, whereby defendants are
18   admitted to a court-supervised individualized treatment program.
19   The court may adopt local rules for the administration of
 1   [problem-solving] treatment courts and their related treatment
 2   services. The local rules may not be inconsistent with this
 3   section or any rules established by the Supreme Court.
 4      (b)   Statewide [problem-solving] treatment courts
 5   coordinator.--To the extent that funds are available, the
 6   Supreme Court may appoint a Statewide[problem-solving] treatment
 7   courts coordinator. The coordinator may:
 8            (1)   Encourage and assist in the establishment of
 9      [problem-solving] treatment courts in each judicial district.
10            (2)   Identify sources of funding for [problem-solving]
11      treatment courts and their related treatment services,
12      including the availability of grants.
13            (3)   Provide coordination and technical assistance for
14      grant applications.
15            (4)   Develop model guidelines for the administration of
16      [problem-solving] treatment courts and their related
17      treatment services.
18            (5)   Establish procedures for monitoring [problem-
19      solving] treatment courts and their related treatment
20      services and for evaluating the effectiveness of [problem-
21      solving] treatment courts and their related treatment
22      services.
23      (c)   Advisory committee.--The Supreme Court may establish,
24   from available funds, an interdisciplinary and interbranch
25   advisory committee to advise and assist the Statewide [problem-
26   solving] treatment courts coordinator in monitoring and
27   administrating [problem-solving] treatment courts Statewide.
28      * * *
29      (e)   Veterans track.--If a court of common pleas of a
30   judicial district or the Municipal Court of Philadelphia

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 1   established a [problem-solving] treatment court under subsection
 2   (a), except for a veterans court, the court may establish a
 3   veterans track within the [problem-solving] treatment court. As
 4   used in this subsection, the term "veterans track" means a
 5   program that utilizes some components of a veterans court,
 6   including, but not limited to, treatment resources and veteran
 7   mentors and does not have the population and judicial resources
 8   to sustain a full veterans court.
 9      * * *
10      Section 2.      Section 9771(c)(2)(iv)(B) of Title 42 is amended
11   to read:
12   § 9771.    Modification or revocation of order of probation.
13      * * *
14      (c)     Limitation on sentence of total confinement.--There is a
15   presumption against total confinement for technical violations
16   of probation. The following shall apply:
17             * * *
18             (2)   If a court imposes a sentence of total confinement
19      following a revocation, the basis of which is for one or more
20      technical violations under paragraph (1)(ii) or (iii), the
21      court shall consider the employment status of the defendant.
22      The defendant shall be sentenced as follows:
23                   * * *
24                   (iv)    The time limitations contained in this
25             paragraph shall not apply to the extent that a reasonable
26             term of additional total confinement, not to exceed 30
27             days, is necessary to allow a defendant to either be
28             evaluated for or to participate in:
29                          * * *
30                          (B)   a [problem-solving] treatment court provided

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1              for in section 916 (relating to [problem-solving]
2              treatment courts).
3         * * *
4     Section 3.    This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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