PRINTER'S NO. 2093
No. 1689 Session of 1971
INTRODUCED BY MESSRS. MELTON AND BARBER, NOVEMBER 11, 1971
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT, NOVEMBER 29, 1971
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of June 24, 1937 (P.L.2017), entitled "An act
2 creating in each county (except of the first class) as a
3 separate corporation, and in each city of the first and
4 second class as a part of the city government, an institution
5 district for the care and maintenance of certain indigent
6 persons and children; prescribing the powers and duties of
7 county commissioners, county treasurers, city departments of
8 public welfare, the State Department of Welfare and the State
9 Department of Public Assistance in respect thereto;
10 abolishing certain poor districts and terminating the terms
11 of directors, overseers, guardians and managers of the poor
12 and poor district auditors, and providing for the temporary
13 employment of certain of them; providing for the transfer,
14 vesting, sale and disposition of the property of poor
15 districts and the payment of their obligations; imposing
16 certain existing obligations on institution districts and on
17 the Commonwealth; regulating the affairs of poor districts
18 until abolished; revising, amending, changing and
19 consolidating the law relating to the care of the poor; and
20 repealing existing laws," reducing certain age requirements.
21 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
22 hereby enacts as follows:
23 Section 1. Clauses (f) and (g) of section 501, act of June
24 24, 1937 (P.L.2017), known as the "County Institution District
25 Law," are amended to read:
26 Section 501. Settlement.--
27 * * *
1 (f) A minor, whether legitimate or illegitimate, cannot be
2 emancipated before age sixteen, and becomes emancipated
3 absolutely at age [twenty-one] eighteen, if then of sufficient
4 mental ability to make a bargain. After age sixteen and before
5 age [twenty-one] eighteen, a minor of sufficient mental ability
6 to make a bargain may become emancipated by his own acts or the
7 acts of the parent, stepfather or stepmother having had the
8 custody. When a person is emancipated, he or she is capable of
9 establishing a new settlement.
10 (g) A minor, whether legitimate or illegitimate, who is so
11 mentally deficient as to be unable to make a bargain cannot be
12 emancipated after age sixteen, and such a person does not become
13 emancipated at age [twenty-one] eighteen and so long thereafter,
14 as said mental condition continues. The settlement of such a
15 person shall at all times during mental disability be
16 ascertained as provided in clauses (h) and (i) of this section
17 for the settlement of minors not emancipated.
18 * * *
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