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        PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 885, 4366                PRINTER'S NO. 4508

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


HOUSE BILL

No. 796 Session of 2001


        INTRODUCED BY E. Z. TAYLOR, HENNESSEY, SATHER, WATSON, CLARK,
           BASTIAN, BEBKO-JONES, CIVERA, CRUZ, CURRY, DALEY, GEORGE,
           HALUSKA, HARHART, HERSHEY, HORSEY, LAUGHLIN, LEDERER,
           MICOZZIE, MUNDY, MYERS, PETRARCA, PRESTON, READSHAW, RUBLEY,
           SANTONI, STABACK, THOMAS, TRELLO, WANSACZ, WASHINGTON, WILT,
           YOUNGBLOOD, COLAFELLA AND BROWNE, FEBRUARY 20, 2001

        AS AMENDED ON THIRD CONSIDERATION, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
           OCTOBER 22, 2002

                                     AN ACT

     1  Amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania
     2     Consolidated Statutes, further providing for reporting
     3     criminal injuries AND FOR GENERAL REGULATIONS RELATING TO      <--
     4     CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD INFORMATION.

     5     The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
     6  hereby enacts as follows:
     7     Section 1.  Section 5106 of Title 18 of the Pennsylvania       <--
     8  Consolidated Statutes is amended to read:
     9     SECTION 1.  SECTIONS 5106 AND 9121(B) OF TITLE 18 OF THE       <--
    10  PENNSYLVANIA CONSOLIDATED STATUTES ARE AMENDED TO READ:
    11  § 5106.  Failure to report injuries by firearm or criminal act.
    12     (a)  Offense defined.--[A] Except as set forth in subsection
    13  (a.1), a physician, intern or resident, or any person
    14  conducting, managing or in charge of any hospital or pharmacy,
    15  or in charge of any ward or part of a hospital, to whom shall
    16  come or be brought any person:


     1         (1)  suffering from any wound or other injury inflicted
     2     by his own act or by the act of another, which caused death
     3     or serious bodily injury, or inflicted by means of a deadly
     4     weapon as defined in section 2301 [of this title] (relating
     5     to definitions); or
     6         (2)  upon whom injuries have been inflicted in violation
     7     of any penal law of this Commonwealth;
     8  commits a summary offense if [he] the reporting party fails to
     9  report such injuries immediately, both by telephone and in
    10  writing, to the chief of police or other head of the police
    11  department of the local government, or to the Pennsylvania State
    12  Police. The report shall state the name of the injured person,
    13  if known, [his] the injured person's whereabouts and the
    14  character and extent of [his] the person's injuries.
    15     (a.1)  Exception.--In cases of bodily injury as defined in
    16  section 2301 (relating to definitions), failure to report under
    17  subsection (a)(2) does not constitute an offense if all of the
    18  following apply:
    19         (1)  The victim is an adult and has suffered bodily
    20     injury.
    21         (2)  The injury was inflicted by an individual who:
    22             (i)  is the current or former spouse of the victim;
    23             (ii)  is a current or former sexual or intimate
    24         partner of the victim;
    25             (iii)  shares biological parenthood with the victim;
    26         or
    27             (iv)  is or has been living as a spouse of the
    28         victim.
    29         (3)  The victim has been informed:
    30             (i)  of the duty to report under subsection (a)(2);
    20010H0796B4508                  - 2 -

     1         and
     2             (ii)  that the report under subsection (a)(2) cannot
     3         be made without the victim's consent.
     4         (4)  The victim does not consent to the report under
     5     subsection (a)(2).
     6         (5)  The victim has been provided with a referral to the
     7     appropriate victim service agency such as a domestic violence
     8     or sexual assault program.
     9     (b)  Immunity granted.--No physician or other person shall be
    10  subject to civil or criminal liability by reason of [making a
    11  report required by] complying with this section.
    12     (c)  Physician-patient privilege unavailable.--In any
    13  judicial proceeding resulting from a report pursuant to this
    14  section, the physician-patient privilege shall not apply in
    15  respect to evidence regarding such injuries or the cause
    16  thereof. This subsection shall not apply where a report is not
    17  made pursuant to subsection (a.1).
    18     (d)  Reporting of crime encouraged.--Nothing in this chapter
    19  precludes a victim from reporting the crime that resulted in
    20  injury.
    21     (e)  Availability of information.--A physician or other
    22  individual may make available information concerning domestic
    23  violence or sexual assault to any individual subject to the
    24  provisions of this chapter.
    25  § 9121.  GENERAL REGULATIONS.                                     <--
    26     * * *
    27     (B)  DISSEMINATION TO NONCRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCIES AND
    28  INDIVIDUALS.--CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD INFORMATION SHALL BE
    29  DISSEMINATED BY A STATE OR LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ANY
    30  INDIVIDUAL OR NONCRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCY ONLY UPON REQUEST.
    20010H0796B4508                  - 3 -

     1  EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (B.1):
     2         (1)  A FEE MAY BE CHARGED BY A STATE OR LOCAL POLICE
     3     DEPARTMENT FOR EACH REQUEST FOR CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD
     4     INFORMATION BY AN INDIVIDUAL OR NONCRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCY,
     5     EXCEPT THAT NO FEE SHALL BE CHARGED TO [AN INDIVIDUAL WHO
     6     MAKES THE REQUEST IN ORDER TO APPLY TO BECOME A VOLUNTEER
     7     WITH AN AFFILIATE OF BIG BROTHERS OF AMERICA OR BIG SISTERS
     8     OF AMERICA.] ANY OF THE FOLLOWING:
     9             (I)  AN INDIVIDUAL WHO MAKES THE REQUEST TO VOLUNTEER
    10         WITH:
    11                 (A)  AN AFFILIATE OF BIG BROTHERS OF AMERICA OR
    12             BIG SISTERS OF AMERICA.
    13                 (B)  A VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT OR AMBULANCE
    14             SERVICE.
    15             (II)  A REPRESENTATIVE OF A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION
    16         THAT PROVIDES DAY CARE SERVICES ON BEHALF OF A VOLUNTEER
    17         APPLICANT.
    18         (2)  BEFORE A STATE OR LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT
    19     DISSEMINATES CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD INFORMATION TO AN
    20     INDIVIDUAL OR NONCRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCY, IT SHALL EXTRACT
    21     FROM THE RECORD ALL NOTATIONS OF ARRESTS, INDICTMENTS OR
    22     OTHER INFORMATION RELATING TO THE INITIATION OF CRIMINAL
    23     PROCEEDINGS WHERE:
    24             (I)  THREE YEARS HAVE ELAPSED FROM THE DATE OF
    25         ARREST;
    26             (II)  NO CONVICTION HAS OCCURRED; AND
    27             (III)  NO PROCEEDINGS ARE PENDING SEEKING A
    28         CONVICTION.
    29     * * *
    30     Section 2.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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