SB 464 — An Act amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in sentencing, further providing for definitions and for sentencing procedure for murder of the first degree.

PRINTER'S NO.   416

                      THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                            SENATE BILL
                            No. 464
                                                    Session of
                                                      2025

     INTRODUCED BY ROTHMAN, PENNYCUICK AND STEFANO, MARCH 18, 2025

     REFERRED TO JUDICIARY, MARCH 18, 2025


                                         AN ACT
 1   Amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the
 2      Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in sentencing, further
 3      providing for definitions and for sentencing procedure for
 4      murder of the first degree.
 5      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 6   hereby enacts as follows:
 7      Section 1.         Section 9702 of Title 42 of the Pennsylvania
 8   Consolidated Statutes is amended to read:
 9   § 9702.    Definitions.
10      [As used in this chapter "court" and "judge" include (when
11   exercising criminal or quasi-criminal jurisdiction pursuant to
12   section 1515 (relating to jurisdiction and venue)) a magisterial
13   district judge.] The following words and phrases when used in
14   this chapter shall have the meanings given to them in this
15   section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
16      "College."         Any of the following:
17             (1)   An institution created prior to, on or after the
18      effective date of this paragraph under any of the following:
19                   (i)    Article XIX-A of the act of March 10, 1949
 1            (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949.
 2                  (ii)   The act of August 24, 1963 (P.L.1132, No.484),
 3            known as the Community College Act of 1963.
 4            (2)   An independent institution of higher education that
 5      is located in this Commonwealth and incorporated or chartered
 6      by the Commonwealth, entitled to:
 7                  (i)    confer degrees under 24 Pa.C.S. § 6505 (relating
 8            to power to confer degrees); and
 9                  (ii)   apply to itself the designation "college,"
10            "university" or "seminary" as provided for by standards
11            and qualifications prescribed by the State Board of
12            Education under 24 Pa.C.S. Ch. 65 (relating to private
13            colleges, universities and seminaries).
14            (3)   A State-owned institution.
15            (4)   A State-related institution.
16            (5)   An education enterprise.
17      "Court" or "judge."       The term shall include, when exercising
18   criminal or quasi-criminal jurisdiction under section 1515
19   (relating to jurisdiction and venue), a magisterial district
20   judge.
21      "Elementary or secondary school."       In the buildings of, on
22   the grounds of or in a conveyance providing transportation to or
23   from any of the following:
24            (1)   An elementary or secondary publicly funded
25      educational institution.
26            (2)   An elementary or secondary private school licensed
27      by the Department of Education.
28            (3)   An elementary or secondary parochial school.
29      "Government office."       The place of business of any of the
30   following:

20250SB0464PN0416                       - 2 -
 1             (1)    The Governor and the departments, boards,
 2      commissions, authorities and officers and agencies of the
 3      Commonwealth or other instrumentalities of the Commonwealth.
 4             (2)    The General Assembly and its officers and agencies.
 5             (3)    A political subdivision, municipality or other local
 6      authority and the departments, boards, commissions,
 7      authorities and officers and agencies of the political
 8      subdivision or other instrumentality of the political
 9      subdivision.
10             (4)    A court or other officer or agency of the unified
11      judicial system or instrumentality of the court or unified
12      judicial system.
13      "Place of worship."      In the buildings of or on the grounds of
14   a church, synagogue, mosque or other regularly established place
15   of meeting of a religious institution or religious organization.
16      "Professional sports facility."        A stadium, arena or other
17   place owned or leased by a professional sports organization at
18   which a professional athletic event is conducted in the presence
19   of individuals who pay admission to view the event.
20      Section 2.      Section 9711(d) of Title 42 is amended by adding
21   a paragraph to read:
22   § 9711.    Sentencing procedure for murder of the first degree.
23      * * *
24      (d)    Aggravating circumstances.--Aggravating circumstances
25   shall be limited to the following:
26             * * *
27             (19)    The defendant committed the killing on the premises
28      of an elementary or secondary school, college, place of
29      worship, professional sports facility or government office.
30      * * *

20250SB0464PN0416                      - 3 -
1     Section 3.    This act shall take effect in 60 days.




20250SB0464PN0416                 - 4 -