HARRISBURG – Legislation sponsored by Senator David G. Argall (R-Schuylkill/Berks) that would establish a Corrections Officers Bill of Rights for state corrections employees received the unanimous support of the Senate Labor and Industry Committee this morning.
Senate Bill 404 would provide standards to protect the rights of state correctional officers during certain investigations by the Department of Corrections. The measure includes provisions guaranteeing prompt notification and investigation of complaints.
Argall, whose district includes State Correctional Institutions Mahanoy and Frackville, said it is important that officers have the same rights as the prisoners they guard.
“With two state corrections facilities located in the Senate district which I represent, I strongly believe any corrections officer found guilty of a crime should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” Argall said. “However, we must also take great care to preserve the constitutional rights for our corrections officers and prevent unfounded accusations from keeping them out of work for months on end.”
The legislation was sent to the full Senate for consideration.