Bill Text: PA HB650 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Further providing for arson and related offenses; and providing for sentences for arson of a historic resource.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 22-4)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-02-14 - Referred to JUDICIARY [HB650 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2011-HB650-Introduced.html

  

 

    

PRINTER'S NO.  650

  

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

  

HOUSE BILL

 

No.

650

Session of

2011

  

  

INTRODUCED BY CLYMER, BAKER, BROOKS, CALTAGIRONE, CREIGHTON, DENLINGER, FLECK, GEIST, GIBBONS, GILLEN, HESS, M.K. KELLER, MAJOR, MANN, MILNE, MURT, PAYNE, PEIFER, RAPP, READSHAW, ROCK, SCAVELLO, STERN, STEVENSON, VULAKOVICH AND WATSON, FEBRUARY 14, 2011

  

  

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, FEBRUARY 14, 2011  

  

  

  

AN ACT

  

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Amending Titles 18 (Crimes and Offenses) and 42 (Judiciary and

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Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated

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Statutes, further providing for arson and related offenses;

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and providing for sentences for arson of a historic resource.

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The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

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hereby enacts as follows:

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Section 1.  Section 3301(h) and (j) of Title 18 of the

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Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended and the section

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is amended by adding a subsection to read:

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§ 3301.  Arson and related offenses.

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* * *

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(a.1)  Arson of historic resource.--A person commits a felony

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of the second degree if the person, with the intent of

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destroying or damaging a historic resource of another, does any

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of the following:

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(1)  Intentionally starts a fire or causes an explosion,

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whether on the person's own property or that of another.

 


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(2)  Aids, counsels, pays or agrees to pay another to

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cause a fire or explosion.

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* * *

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(h)  Limitations on liability.--The provisions of subsections

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(a), (a.1), (b), (c), (d), (d.1) and (e) shall not be construed

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to establish criminal liability upon any volunteer or paid

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firefighter or volunteer or paid firefighting company or

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association if said company or association endangers a

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participating firefighter or real or personal property in the

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course of an approved, controlled fire training program or fire

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evolution, provided that said company or association has

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complied with the following:

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(1)  a sworn statement from the owner of any real or

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personal property involved in such program or evolution that

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there is no fire insurance policy or no lien or encumbrance

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exists which applies to such real or personal property;

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(2)  approval or permits from the appropriate local

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government or State officials, if necessary, to conduct such

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program or exercise have been received;

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(3)  precautions have been taken so that the program or

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evolution does not affect any other persons or real or

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personal property; and

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(4)  participation of firefighters in the program or

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exercise if voluntary.

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* * *

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(j)  Definitions.--As used in this section the following

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words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this

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subsection:

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"Historic resource."  A building or structure, including a

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covered bridge, which meets any of the following:

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(1)  Has been in existence for more than 100 years,

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including partial or complete reconstructions of a building

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or structure originally erected at least 100 years ago.

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(2)  Has been listed on the National Register of Historic

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Places or the Pennsylvania Register of Historic Places.

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"Occupied structure."  Any structure, vehicle or place

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adapted for overnight accommodation of persons or for carrying

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on business therein, whether or not a person is actually

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present. If a building or structure is divided into separately

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occupied units, any unit not occupied by the actor is an

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occupied structure of another.

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"Property of another."  A building or other property, whether

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real or personal, in which a person other than the actor has an

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interest which the actor has no authority to defeat or impair,

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even though the actor may also have an interest in the building

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or property.

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Section 2.  Title 42 is amended by adding a section to read:

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§ 9720.3.  Sentences for arson of a historic resource.

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(a)  Mandatory sentence.--Any person who commits a violation

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of 18 Pa.C.S. § 3301(a.1) (relating to arson and related

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offenses) shall be sentenced to a minimum sentence of at least

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one year of total confinement.

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(b)  Proof at sentencing.--Provisions of this section shall

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not be an element of the crime, and notice of the provisions of

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this section to the defendant shall not be required prior to

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conviction, but reasonable notice of the Commonwealth's

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intention to proceed under this section shall be provided after

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conviction and before sentencing. The applicability of this

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section shall be determined at sentencing. The court shall

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consider any evidence presented at trial and shall afford the

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Commonwealth and the defendant an opportunity to present any

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necessary additional evidence and shall determine, by a

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preponderance of the evidence, if this section is applicable.

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(c)  Authority of court in sentencing.--There shall be no

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authority in any court to impose on an offender to which this

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section is applicable any lesser sentence than provided for in

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subsection (a) or to place the offender on probation or to

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suspend sentence. Nothing in this section shall prevent the

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sentencing court from imposing a sentence greater than that

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provided in this section. Sentencing guidelines promulgated by

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the Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing shall not supersede

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the mandatory sentences provided under this section.

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(d)  Appeal by Commonwealth.--If a sentencing court refuses

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to apply this section where applicable, the Commonwealth shall

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have the right to appellate review of the action of the

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sentencing court. The appellate court shall vacate the sentence

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and remand the case to the sentencing court for imposition of a

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sentence in accordance with this section if it finds that the

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sentence was imposed in violation of this section.

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Section 3.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.

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