HARRISBURG, PA — State Rep. Melissa Shusterman, D-Chester, announced this week that her third juvenile justice reform bill, House Bill 1573, has passed the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, marking a significant step in efforts to improve the state’s juvenile detention system.
House Bill 1573 aims to clarify and update various aspects of the juvenile detention framework, including the creation of a comprehensive data inventory to support oversight and accountability.
The legislation follows recommendations from the Pennsylvania Juvenile Justice Task Force, which was established in 2019. After conducting 28 roundtables and gathering input from nearly 450 stakeholders, the task force issued a 2021 report outlining 35 policy recommendations focused on public safety, accountability, cost savings, and better outcomes for youth and families.
Shusterman’s juvenile justice package includes two other bills that also cleared the House last week. House Bill 1576 would require the Department of Human Services to reimburse counties for half of certain costs associated with services for delinquent children, such as medical care, transportation, and legal representation. Meanwhile, House Bill 1577 seeks to ensure safe and humane treatment of children in custody, specifically addressing the use of restraints and other restrictive measures.
“The task force was a thorough process with an outcome of policy recommendations the legislature has been slow to address,” said Shusterman. “We must act without any further delay to ensure we are protecting the children of our Commonwealth who go through our juvenile detention system. Our children – all of our children – are our future, and we must invest in these children to ensure they are equipped to have successful futures.”
All three bills now move to the Senate for further consideration.
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