SB 475 — 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.   430

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                        SENATE BILL
                        No. 475
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY CAPPELLETTI, BAKER, STREET, TARTAGLIONE AND
        HAYWOOD, MARCH 19, 2025

     REFERRED TO JUDICIARY, MARCH 19, 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.    Sections 916 and 9771(c)(2)(iv)(B) of Title 42 of
 9   the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended to read:
10   § 916.   [Problem-solving] Treatment courts.
11      (a)   Establishment.--The court of common pleas of a judicial
12   district and the Municipal Court of Philadelphia may establish,
13   from available funds, one or more [problem-solving] treatment
14   courts which have specialized jurisdiction, including, but not
15   limited to, veterans courts, drug courts, mental health courts
16   and driving under the influence courts, whereby defendants are
17   admitted to a court-supervised individualized treatment program.
18   The court may adopt local rules for the administration of
19   [problem-solving] treatment courts and their related treatment
 1   services. The local rules may not be inconsistent with this
 2   section or any rules established by the Supreme Court.
 3      (b)   Statewide [problem-solving] treatment courts
 4   coordinator.--To the extent that funds are available, the
 5   Supreme Court may appoint a Statewide [problem-solving]
 6   treatment courts coordinator. The coordinator may:
 7            (1)   Encourage and assist in the establishment of
 8      [problem-solving] treatment courts in each judicial district.
 9            (2)   Identify sources of funding for [problem-solving]
10      treatment courts and their related treatment services,
11      including the availability of grants.
12            (3)   Provide coordination and technical assistance for
13      grant applications.
14            (4)   Develop model guidelines for the administration of
15      [problem-solving] treatment courts and their related
16      treatment services.
17            (5)   Establish procedures for monitoring [problem-
18      solving] treatment courts and their related treatment
19      services and for evaluating the effectiveness of [problem-
20      solving] treatment courts and their related treatment
21      services.
22      (c)   Advisory committee.--The Supreme Court may establish,
23   from available funds, an interdisciplinary and interbranch
24   advisory committee to advise and assist the Statewide [problem-
25   solving] treatment courts coordinator in monitoring and
26   administrating [problem-solving] treatment courts Statewide.
27      (d)   Veterans courts.--
28            (1)   If a court of common pleas of a judicial district or
29      the Municipal Court of Philadelphia has established a
30      veterans court under subsection (a), the court may provide

20250SB0475PN0430                    - 2 -
 1      for participation by defendants from another county or
 2      counties.
 3             (2)   A court of common pleas of a judicial district or
 4      the Municipal Court of Philadelphia may join with the court
 5      in another county or counties to establish a multicounty
 6      veterans court.
 7      (e)    Veterans track.--If a court of common pleas of a
 8   judicial district or the Municipal Court of Philadelphia
 9   established a [problem-solving] treatment court under subsection
10   (a), except for a veterans court, the court may establish a
11   veterans track within the [problem-solving] treatment court. As
12   used in this subsection, the term "veterans track" means a
13   program that utilizes some components of a veterans court,
14   including, but not limited to, treatment resources and veteran
15   mentors and does not have the population and judicial resources
16   to sustain a full veterans court.
17      (f)    Local rules.--A court of common pleas of a judicial
18   district or the Municipal Court of Philadelphia that established
19   a veterans court, multicounty veterans court or veterans track
20   under this section may adopt local rules for the administration
21   of the courts and their related treatment services. The local
22   rules may not be inconsistent with this section or any rules
23   established by the Supreme Court.
24   § 9771.    Modification or revocation of order of probation.
25      * * *
26      (c)    Limitation on sentence of total confinement.--There is a
27   presumption against total confinement for technical violations
28   of probation. The following shall apply:
29             * * *
30             (2)   If a court imposes a sentence of total confinement

20250SB0475PN0430                     - 3 -
 1    following a revocation, the basis of which is for one or more
 2    technical violations under paragraph (1)(ii) or (iii), the
 3    court shall consider the employment status of the defendant.
 4    The defendant shall be sentenced as follows:
 5             * * *
 6             (iv)    The time limitations contained in this
 7        paragraph shall not apply to the extent that a reasonable
 8        term of additional total confinement, not to exceed 30
 9        days, is necessary to allow a defendant to either be
10        evaluated for or to participate in:
11                    * * *
12                    (B)   a [problem-solving] treatment court provided
13             for in section 916 (relating to [problem-solving]
14             treatment courts).
15        * * *
16    Section 2.    This act shall take effect in 90 days.




20250SB0475PN0430                    - 4 -