HARRISBURG, PA − October 17, 2024 − Yesterday, Governor Josh Shapiro signed into law Senate Bills 169 and 170 – now Act 107 and Act 108 of 2024 – to implement reforms needed to improve outcomes for youth, families, and communities, with a continued focus on protecting public safety.
Senate Bill 169 implements a requirement that courts hold a disposition review hearing at least every three months to make sure children placed outside the home are getting the care, treatment, and services they need, and to make sure children are returned home as soon as is appropriate. Senate Bill 170 creates an expungement process for juvenile records and requires that the Chief Juvenile Probation officer notify the court when records are eligible for expungement and request that the court initiate the expungement process.
Senator Jay Costa (D-43) and Senator Lisa Baker (R-20) co-chaired the Juvenile Justice Task Force, which produced a report in June of 212 containing 35 recommendations for reform. Of those reforms, Senate Bills 169 and 170 address recommendations 2, 5, 16, and 23.
“I am very happy that the Senate could work in a bipartisan way to get these bills over the finish line,” said Senator Costa. “The Juvenile Justice Task Force brought to light some unfortunate findings about the way we treat our young people in our legal system, and I am glad we are taking steps to reform our processes. I am hopeful that our work will lead to rehabilitation and a thriving future for these youths.”
“These reforms are designed to align our juvenile justice system with proven methods for improving youth outcomes and addressing significant gaps in current practices,” said Senator Baker, majority chair of the Judiciary Committee in the Senate. “By improving the law, we are taking important steps to give young people a true second chance.”
“For young people in the juvenile justice system to succeed, it is critical that there are supports and pathways to help with the transition into adulthood and to allow these individuals to lead productive lives,” said Senator Santarsiero, minority chair of the Judiciary Committee in the Senate. “I want to thank Senators Baker and Costa for their roles as co-chairs of the Juvenile Justice Task Force and their work to find meaningful ways to improve outcomes for youth exiting the juvenile justice system.”
Senate Bills 169 and 170 secured the support of the Pennsylvania District Attorney Association, Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission, Governor Shapiro’s Administration, Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police, Office of Victim Advocate, ACLU-PA, and many other organizations.
Learn more about the Juvenile Justice Task Force here.
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