Posted: | January 3, 2013 01:26 PM |
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From: | Senator Kim L. Ward |
To: | All Senate members |
Subject: | Memo #19: Penalties for failure to report child abuse |
I plan to introduce a modified version of Senate Bill 1413 of last session, which amended the Child Protective Services Law (Title 23, Section 6319) to increase the penalties for failure to report or refer suspected child abuse. The bill incorporates suggestions made by the Pennsylvania Task Force on Child Protection. Their comprehensive report and model legislation can be found on their website at: http://www.childprotection.state.pa.us/news.cfm. The penalty for failure to report child abuse by a mandatory reporter is increased to a misdemeanor of the second degree. Three new offenses are added, including intentionally interfering with the making of a report or referral of child abuse (1st degree misdemeanor), concealing child abuse to protect its’ discovery (3rd degree felony) and willful failure to report while the individual has reasonable cause to believe a child is actively being abused (3rd degree felony). Previous co-sponsors of SB 1413 were Senators: SCARNATI, PILEGGI, COSTA, VOGEL, YAW, ALLOWAY, McILHINNEY, TOMLINSON, BROWNE, RAFFERTY, SOLOBAY, FERLO, ARGALL, MENSCH, SMUCKER, BAKER, ERICKSON, D. WHITE, EICHELBERGER, HUGHES, YUDICHAK, WASHINGTON, KASUNIC, LEACH, FONTANA, BOSCOLA, STACK, FARNESE and SCHWANK. If you have any questions about this legislation, please contact my office at 717-787-6063. |
Introduced as SB22