HB 1427 — An Act repealing the act of October 4, 1978 (P.L.876, No.169), referred to as the Pennsylvania Crime Commission Act.

PRINTER'S NO.    1662

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 1427
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY KUZMA, VENKAT, GREINER, JAMES, SCHEUREN, NEILSON,
        ZIMMERMAN AND K.HARRIS, MAY 7, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, MAY 7, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Repealing the act of October 4, 1978 (P.L.876, No.169), entitled
 2      "An act establishing the Pennsylvania Crime Commission and
 3      providing for its powers and duties."
 4      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 5   hereby enacts as follows:
 6      Section 1.    The act of October 4, 1978 (P.L.876, No.169),
 7   referred to as the Pennsylvania Crime Commission Act, is
 8   repealed:
 9                                 [AN ACT
10   Establishing the Pennsylvania Crime Commission and providing for
11      its powers and duties.
12      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
13   hereby enacts as follows:
14   Section 3.   Creation of commission; membership; compensation;
15                vacancies; removal.
16      (a)   The Pennsylvania Crime Commission shall consist of six
17   members to be known as commissioners.
18      (b)   One member of the commission shall be appointed by the
 1   Governor, one by the President pro tempore of the Senate, one by
 2   the Speaker of the House of Representatives, one by the Minority
 3   Leader of the Senate and one by the Minority Leader of the House
 4   of Representatives. The chairperson of the commission shall be
 5   the Commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police.
 6      (c)   Of the original members, the member appointed by the
 7   Governor shall serve for an initial term of one year, the two
 8   members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives
 9   and the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives
10   respectively shall serve for an initial term of two years and
11   the two members appointed by the President pro tempore of the
12   Senate and the Minority Leader of the Senate respectively shall
13   serve for an initial term of three years. Thereafter each
14   appointment provided for by this act shall be for a term of
15   three years and such appointments shall be made in the same
16   manner as the original appointments. Not more than three
17   commissioners shall be members of the same political party.
18      (d)   Commissioners shall receive $50 a day compensation for
19   their services. Expenses incurred by the executive director or
20   other employees shall be allowed and paid on the presentation of
21   itemized vouchers therefor and approved by the commission. This
22   subsection shall not apply to the chairperson of the commission.
23      (e)   All vacancies shall be filled, for the remainder of the
24   unexpired term in the same manner as original appointments. Any
25   commissioner, upon the expiration of his term, shall continue to
26   hold office until his successor has been duly appointed and
27   qualified according to law, but in no event longer than six
28   months after the expiration of the commissioner's appointed
29   term.
30      (f)   Except as authorized pursuant to this subsection, no

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 1   commissioner may be removed from office during his term. The
 2   Governor may, upon a clear and convincing evidence of
 3   misfeasance or malfeasance in office or neglect of duty, remove
 4   a commissioner prior to the expiration of his term. The Governor
 5   shall provide the commissioner so removed with a detailed
 6   written statement of the reasons for his removal. A commissioner
 7   so removed may petition the Court for reinstatement. The court
 8   shall hold an expedited hearing and render a decision within 30
 9   days after said hearing or as soon thereafter as may be
10   practicable. Any decision of the Court adverse to a commissioner
11   so removed shall create a vacancy which shall be filled pursuant
12   to subsection (e). This subsection shall not apply to the
13   chairperson of the commission.
14      (g)   This section shall expire June 30, 1994.
15   Section 4.     Powers and duties.
16      (a)   The Pennsylvania Crime Commission shall have the power
17   and its duty shall be:
18            (1)   To inquire into organized crime and activities of
19      persons engaged in or associated with organized crime.
20            (2)   To inquire into public corruption and the activities
21      of persons engaged in and associated with public corruption.
22            (3)   To make a detailed written report of every completed
23      investigation which may include recommendation for
24      legislative or administrative action.
25            (4)   To account to the Governor, the Auditor General and
26      the General Assembly at the end of each fiscal year for all
27      moneys received and disbursed.
28            (6)   Through its chairman, to call upon the department
29      heads of State Government and State agencies for such
30      information and assistance as is needed to carry out the

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 1    functions of the commission.
 2        (7)   To require the attendance and testimony of witnesses
 3    and the production of documentary evidence relative to any
 4    investigation which the commission may conduct in accordance
 5    with the powers given it. Such subpoenas shall be signed by
 6    the chairman, the executive director and two commissioners
 7    and shall be served by any person authorized to serve
 8    subpoenas under the laws of the Commonwealth.
 9        (8)   To appoint and fix the compensation of an executive
10    director who shall devote his full time to the general
11    supervision of all investigations and proceedings by the
12    commission.
13        (9)   To appoint and fix the compensation of such other
14    employees as the commission may from time to time find
15    necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the
16    commission. Investigative employees of the commission shall
17    be deemed law enforcement officers.
18        (10.1)      To promulgate and publish rules and regulations,
19    including those regulations controlling or defining the:
20              (i)    Calling of meetings.
21              (ii)    Investigative responsibilities of commission
22        members.
23              (iii)    Written procedures to be utilized by the
24        commission's investigative management staff in planning
25        and supervising investigations and inquiries.
26              (iv)    Dissemination of materials, including
27        dissemination to the Governor and members or committees
28        of the General Assembly.
29              (v)    Appropriate use of commission property,
30        including all vehicles.

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 1                   (vi)    Maintenance of confidentiality of information.
 2                   (vii)    All other procedures and acts as are necessary
 3            for the proper functioning of the commission.
 4            (11)    To perform such other acts as are necessary for the
 5      proper functioning of the commission.
 6      (b)   This section shall expire June 30, 1994.
 7   Section 9.      Privileged statements and reports.
 8      (a)   Any statement or disclosure of information made by a
 9   commissioner or an employee of the commission during the course
10   of any hearing before the General Assembly shall be absolutely
11   privileged and such privilege shall be an absolute defense to
12   any action for invasion of privacy, defamation or other civil or
13   criminal action.
14      (b)   This section shall expire June 30, 1994.
15      Section 6.      (a)    The Pennsylvania Crime Commission is hereby
16   reestablished in compliance with the act of December 22, 1981
17   (P.L.508, No.142), known as the Sunset Act.
18      (b)   Each rule and regulation of the commission in effect on
19   the effective date of this act shall remain in effect after such
20   date until amended by the commission, provided that the
21   commission shall immediately initiate the repeal or amendment of
22   any rule or regulation which is inconsistent with the provisions
23   of this act.
24      Section 9.      The Pennsylvania Crime Commission shall not begin
25   any new investigation. It shall also prepare to transfer all
26   ongoing investigations to the Pennsylvania State Police and
27   Federal law enforcement officials by June 30, 1994.
28      The Commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police, or a
29   designee, shall review the records of the Pennsylvania Crime
30   Commission and determine which records should remain with the

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 1   Pennsylvania State Police and which should be transferred to
 2   Federal law enforcement authorities.
 3      Section 10.   The Commissioner of the Pennsylvania State
 4   Police shall determine which employees of the Pennsylvania Crime
 5   Commission shall be transferred to the Bureau of Criminal
 6   Investigation of the Pennsylvania State Police by June 30, 1994.
 7      Section 11.   By November 30, 1994, the Commissioner of the
 8   Pennsylvania State Police shall make a report to the General
 9   Assembly on the disposition of employees, property, cases and
10   records of the Pennsylvania Crime Commission.]
11      Section 2.    This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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