1Amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania
2Consolidated Statutes, in child protective services, further
3providing for persons permitted to report suspected child
4abuse.

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

7Section 1. Section 6312 of Title 23 of the Pennsylvania
8Consolidated Statutes is amended to read:

9§ 6312. Persons [permitted] encouraged to report suspected
10child abuse.

11[In addition to those persons and officials required to
12report suspected child abuse, any] (a) Reports by any person 
13permitted.--Any person may make [such] a report of suspected 
14child abuse, or cause a report to be made, if that person has
15reasonable cause to suspect that a child is an abused child.

16(b) Civil action for discrimination against person filing
17report.--Any person who, under this section, is permitted to

1report or cause a report of suspected child abuse to be made and
2who, in good faith, makes or causes the report to be made and,
3as a result thereof, is discharged from his employment or in any
4other manner is discriminated against with respect to
5compensation, hire, tenure, terms, conditions or privileges of
6employment, may commence an action in the court of common pleas
7of the county in which the alleged unlawful discharge or
8discrimination occurred for appropriate relief. If the court
9finds that the person is an individual who, under this section,
10is permitted to report or cause a report of suspected child
11abuse to be made and who, in good faith, made or caused to be
12made a report of suspected child abuse and, as a result thereof,
13was discharged or discriminated against with respect to
14compensation, hire, tenure, terms, conditions or privileges of
15employment, it may issue an order granting appropriate relief,
16including, but not limited to, reinstatement with back pay. The
17department may intervene in any action commenced under this
18subsection.

19Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.