Mental Health Reporting Requirements
January 9, 2019 03:06 PM to All House Members
Circulated By
Representative Angel Cruz
D House District 180
Memo
Currently, the Uniform Firearms Act and the Mental Health Procedures Act require notification to the Pennsylvania State Police within seven days of mental health adjudication, treatment, involuntary commitment or treatment. This timeframe was set long before the instant information age of today. A lot can happen in seven days, often with dire consequences.
Cutting this timeframe in half can prevent serious incidents without overburdening our counties and providers. I am proposing that the notification requirement under both acts be reduced to between 72 and 96 hours, which would align standards more closely with similar reporting measures already in place state and nationwide.
Thank you in advance for your consideration.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact my Harrisburg office at 717-705-1925.
Legislation
Document 1 - Introduced as HB 459
AN ACT- Amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in firearms and other dangerous articles, further providing for Pennsylvania State Police.
Document 2 - Introduced as HB 462
AN ACT- Amending the act of July 9, 1976 (P.L. 817, No. 143), known as the Mental Health Procedures Act, in general provisions, further providing for mental health review officer.
Last updated on March 27, 2020 12:16 PM
Mental Health Reporting Requirements
January 9, 2019 03:06 PM to All House Members
Circulated By
CRUZ
Memo
Currently, the Uniform Firearms Act and the Mental Health Procedures Act require notification to the Pennsylvania State Police within seven days of mental health adjudication, treatment, involuntary commitment or treatment. This timeframe was set long before the instant information age of today. A lot can happen in seven days, often with dire consequences.
Cutting this timeframe in half can prevent serious incidents without overburdening our counties and providers. I am proposing that the notification requirement under both acts be reduced to between 72 and 96 hours, which would align standards more closely with similar reporting measures already in place state and nationwide.
Thank you in advance for your consideration.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact my Harrisburg office at 717-705-1925.
Document 1
AN ACT- Amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in firearms and other dangerous articles, further providing for Pennsylvania State Police.
Introduced as HB 459
Document 2
AN ACT- Amending the act of July 9, 1976 (P.L. 817, No. 143), known as the Mental Health Procedures Act, in general provisions, further providing for mental health review officer.
Introduced as HB 462
Last Updated
March 27, 2020 12:16 PM
Generated 04/25/2025 12:40 PM