PRINTER'S NO. 502
No. 482 Session of 2001
INTRODUCED BY GERLACH, DENT, WAUGH, TOMLINSON, BOSCOLA, COSTA,
TARTAGLIONE, GREENLEAF AND LEMMOND, FEBRUARY 15, 2001
REFERRED TO JUDICIARY, FEBRUARY 15, 2001
AN ACT
1 Amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania
2 Consolidated Statutes, prohibiting false reporting of child
3 abuse; and imposing a penalty.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Title 18 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
7 Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
8 § 4915. False reporting of child abuse.
9 (a) Offense defined.--A person who knowingly and willfully
10 makes a false report of child abuse to a law enforcement officer
11 under 23 Pa.C.S. Ch. 63 (relating to child protective services)
12 or who causes, encourages or advises another person to make such
13 a false report commits a misdemeanor of the second degree.
14 (b) Damages.--Nothing in this section shall prohibit a
15 person who is falsely accused of child abuse from bringing a
16 civil action to recover reasonable monetary damages from any
17 person who violates subsection (a), including all costs and
18 attorney fees incurred in defending himself against the false
1 accusation.
2 (c) Definition.--As used in this section, the term "child
3 abuse" shall have the meaning given to it in 23 Pa.C.S. §
4 6303(b)(1) (relating to definitions).
5 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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