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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | March 17, 2023 09:22 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Christopher M. Rabb and Rep. Danielle Friel Otten |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Amending CHRIA to Ensure Disclosure of Public Health and Community Safety Risks |
| Two public health reports in 2016 and January of 2023 revealed an exhaustive list of contaminants in the Dimock water supply in Pennsylvania. Additionally, the Office of Attorney General contracted an independent expert to analyze the Dimock water supply. However, the constraints of current law pertaining to the Criminal History Record Information Act (CHRIA) prohibit the Office of Attorney General from disclosing the results of their report. Furthermore, CHRIA prevents public accessibility of important information pertaining to public health. For this reason, we will be introducing legislation that would provide exceptions for CHRIA, allowing the public to be notified of public health and community safety risks. Moreover, the Office of Environmental Justice (OEJ) would be required to evaluate investigative information pertaining to potential or prospective harm to public health. If the OEJ determines there is a public health risk, the OEJ would be required to provide a notice on its publicly accessible website, which would state there is a public health risk and include a summary of the public health risk. The notice could not compromise an investigation. The public has a right to information regarding health concerns. Please join us in co-sponsoring this legislation in order to ensure CHRIA does not interfere with this right. |
Introduced as HB1704