1Amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania
2Consolidated Statutes, in child protective services, further
3providing for the disposition of complaints received and for
4investigating performance of county agency.

5The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
6hereby enacts as follows:

7Section 1. Sections 6334(a) and 6343(b) of Title 23 of the
8Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended to read:

9§ 6334. Disposition of complaints received.

10(a) Notice to county agency.--Upon receipt of a complaint of
11suspected child abuse, the department shall [immediately]:

12(1) Immediately transmit orally to the appropriate
13county agency notice that the complaint of suspected child
14abuse has been received and the substance of the complaint.

15(2) (i) If the Statewide central register or the
16pending complaint file contains information indicating a
17prior report or a current investigation concerning a
18subject of the report, the department shall immediately
19notify the appropriate county agency of this fact.

1(ii) The appropriate county agency shall mean the
2agency in the county where the suspected child abuse
3occurred.

4(iii) If the residency of the subjects is a factor
5that requires the cooperation of more than one county
6agency, the department shall develop regulations to
7ensure the cooperation of those agencies in carrying out
8the requirements of this chapter.

9(3) The department may at any time investigate the
10county agency's performance with regard to a complaint of
11child abuse. The investigation may begin without advance
12notice to the county agency.

13* * *

14§ 6343. Investigating performance of county agency.

15* * *

16(b) Performance audit.--

17(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter,
18the secretary or a designee of the secretary may direct, at
19their discretion, and [after reasonable notice to the county
20agency] at least once annually shall direct, a performance
21audit of any activity engaged in pursuant to this chapter.
22The department may not give advance notice to the county 
23agency that a performance audit may be conducted.

24(2) Once every two years the department shall direct a
25performance audit of all public or private agencies from
26which a county agency has purchased services.

27* * *

28Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.