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Police & criminal justice reform bills move forward in Pennsylvania

Three bills are moving forward in Pennsylvania that would increase training for police & provide job opportunities for people previously convicted of crimes

PENNSYLVANIA, USA — Pennsylvania lawmakers are moving forward on three bills to shape police and criminal justice reform. 

The bills call for more training for police on calls, assistance for officers responding to and suffering from PTSD, and expanding background checks by requiring previous employers to hand over information regarding people who are applying to become a police officer. A third bill would help convicted criminals who have served their time behind bars to obtain licenses in order to obtain jobs. 

Read the bills moving forward: HB 1841, HB1910SB637

  • HB1910 is described as a police training bill that was amended to mandate in-service training on the use of force, de-escalation techniques, cultural awareness and bias; and amended to include training on trauma-informed care, specifically PTSD.
  • HB1841 is described as a bill expanding background checks for police and other law enforcement officers, which was amended to create a confidential repository of employment records relating to misconduct.
  • SB637 is a criminal justice reform bill that outlines occupational licensure reform which sets rules to deny, suspend, or revoke a license on the basis of a criminal conviction

The movement on the three bills comes days after members of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus took control of a voting session to protest police brutality and forward police reform legislation.

RELATED: Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus members take over House session to demand action on police reform bills

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