(a) Covered persons.--The panel, upon the petition of a district attorney, shall appoint a special investigative counsel to conduct a preliminary investigation in accordance with this chapter whenever the panel receives information from a district attorney sufficient to constitute grounds to investigate whether any person described in subsection (b) may have committed an offense which is classified higher than a summary offense in the district attorney's county. If a district attorney receives information that any person described in subsection (b) may have committed an offense which is classified higher than a summary offense in a county other than the district attorney's county, the district attorney shall refer the information to the district attorney of that county.

(a.1) Special investigative counsel.--The panel, upon the petition of the requesting judge, shall appoint a special investigative counsel to conduct a preliminary investigation in accordance with this chapter whenever the panel receives information from a requesting judge sufficient to constitute grounds to investigate criminal contempt of court as described in subsection (d).

(b) Applicability.--The persons referred to in subsection (a) shall be as follows:

(1) The Attorney General.

(1.1) A deputy Attorney General or an individual working in the Office of Attorney General who is defined as a "public employee" under 65 Pa.C.S. § 1102 (relating to definitions) acting in concert with the Attorney General to commit an offense which is classified higher than a summary offense.

(2) Any individual who leaves any office or position described in paragraph (1) or (1.1) during the incumbency of the Attorney General with or under whom the individual served in the office or position, plus one year after the incumbency, but not longer than a period of three years after the individual leaves the office or position. This paragraph shall only apply to an individual described in paragraph (1.1) who may have acted in concert with an individual described in paragraph (1) to commit an offense which is classified higher than a summary offense.

(3) Any individual who held an office or position described in paragraph (1) or (1.1) during the incumbency of one Attorney General and who continued to hold the office or position for not more than 90 days into the term of the next Attorney General, during the one-year period after the individual leaves the office or position. This paragraph shall only apply to an individual described in paragraph (1.1) who may have acted in concert with an individual described in paragraph (1) to commit an offense which is classified higher than a summary offense.

(4) The chairman and treasurer of the principal campaign committee seeking the election or reelection of the Attorney General, and any officer of that committee exercising authority at the State level, during the incumbency of the elected Attorney General. This paragraph shall only apply to an individual described in paragraph (1.1) who may have acted in concert with an individual described in paragraph (1) to commit an offense which is classified higher than a summary offense.

(b.1) Petition for special investigative counsel.--A district attorney, at his or her discretion, may petition the panel to appoint special investigative counsel, if the district attorney with appropriate jurisdiction receives information that any person described in subsection (b)(1.1), (2), (3) or (4) may have committed an offense which is classified higher than a summary offense regardless of whether or not the individual acted in concert with a person described in subsection (b)(1).

(c) Examination of information to determine need for preliminary investigation.--In determining under subsection (a) whether grounds to investigate exist, a district attorney shall consider only the specificity of the information received and the credibility of the source of the information. A district attorney shall determine whether grounds to investigate exist no later than 90 days after the information is first received. If within that 90-day period a district attorney determines that the information is not specific or is not from a credible source, then a district attorney shall close the matter. If within that 90-day period a district attorney determines that the information is specific and from a credible source, the district attorney shall, upon making that determination, petition the panel to appoint a special investigative counsel to commence a preliminary investigation with respect to that information. If a district attorney is unable to determine within that 90-day period whether the information is specific and from a credible source, the district attorney shall at the end of that 90-day period petition the panel to appoint a special investigative counsel to commence a preliminary investigation with respect to that information. If a special investigative counsel is appointed, the special investigative counsel may only accept the appointment when the appointment would not conflict with the rules governing professional conduct.

(d) Requesting judge's application.--A requesting judge, on his own or at the request of another judge, may apply to the panel for appointment of a special investigative counsel upon a certification that there are reasonable grounds to believe that:

(1) there has been a criminal contempt of court;

(2) investigation by a prosecutor may be necessary to address a breach in the sanctity of court proceedings; and

(3) the prosecutor with statutory authority to conduct the investigation has or is likely to have a conflict of interest.

(e) Compensation.--A special investigative counsel appointed under this chapter shall receive compensation at the per diem rate equal to the annual rate of basic pay payable to the Attorney General. A special investigative counsel shall be entitled to the payment of travel expenses.

Cross References. Section 9512 is referred to in section 9517 of this title.