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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2017 - 2018
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | February 28, 2018 02:06 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Scott Martin |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Protecting Youth Shelter Workers |
| In the near future, I will introduce legislation to protect employees at non-secure youth shelters against assault and abuse. Non-secure youth shelters play a critical role in managing a child’s welfare by providing a range of services for dependent children, as well as young people who are under the jurisdiction of the delinquency system. Unfortunately, Pennsylvania law does not allow a young person who becomes violent with shelter employees to be charged with aggravated assault unless that child is already in the delinquency system. There is an exhaustive list of individuals who are protected from assault under 18 Pa. C.S. §2702(c), including teachers, police officers, members of the General Assembly, the Governor, correctional facility employees, and others. An individual who assaults one of these protected individuals could be charged with aggravated assault. My legislation would extend the same protection to non-secure shelter employees who are assaulted by a dependent youth, regardless of whether that young person is already in the delinquency system. I believe this change in language will allow for greater discretion in response to aggressive youth behavior and ensure young people who become assaultive do not jeopardize the welfare of employees or other children. I hope you will consider joining me in co-sponsoring this legislation. |
Introduced as SB1139