1Amending the act of December 19, 1990 (P.L.1372, No.212),
2entitled "An act providing for early intervention services
3for infants, toddlers and preschool children who qualify;
4establishing the Interagency Coordinating Council and
5providing for its powers and duties; and conferring powers
6and duties upon the Department of Education and the State
7Board of Education, the Department of Health and the
8Department of Public Welfare," further providing for
9definitions and for child identification, assessment and
10tracking system.

11The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
12hereby enacts as follows:

13Section 1. Section 103 of the act of December 19, 1990
14(P.L.1372, No.212), known as the Early Intervention Services
15System Act, is amended by adding a definition to read:

16Section 103. Definitions.

17The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
18have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
19context clearly indicates otherwise:

20* * *

1"Homeless." An individual who lacks a fixed, regular and
2adequate nighttime residence. The term includes:

3(1) Children and youth in any of the following:

4(i) Who are sharing the housing of another person
5due to loss of housing, economic hardship or a similar
6reason.

7(ii) Who are living in a motel, hotel, trailer park
8or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative
9adequate accommodations.

10(iii) Who are living in an emergency or transitional
11shelter.

12(iv) Who are abandoned in a hospital.

13(v) Who are awaiting foster care placement.

14(vi) Who have a primary nighttime residence that is
15a public or a private place not designed for or
16ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for
17human beings.

18(vii) Who are living in a car, park, public space,
19abandoned building, substandard housing, bus or train
20station or similar setting.

21(2) migratory children who qualify as homeless for the
22purposes of this chapter because the child is living in one
23of the circumstances in paragraph (1).

24* * *

25Section 2. Section 305(b) of the act is amended to read:

26Section 305. Child identification, assessment and tracking
27system.

28* * *

29(b) At-risk children.--For the purposes of child
30identification, assessment and tracking for infants and

1toddlers, the Department of Public Welfare shall establish, by
2regulation, population groups to be included in these
3activities. The population groups shall include, but not be
4limited to, children whose birth weight is under 1,500 grams;
5children cared for in neonatal intensive care units of
6hospitals; children born to chemically dependent mothers and
7referred by a physician, health care provider or parent;
8children who are seriously abused or neglected, as substantiated
9and referred by the county children and youth agency under the
10act of November 26, 1975 (P.L.438, No.124), known as the Child
11Protective Services Law; [and] children with confirmed dangerous
12levels of lead poisoning as set by the Department of Health; and 
13children who are homeless. The Department of Public Welfare may
14establish other population groups by regulation as it deems
15necessary.

16* * *

17Section 3. This act shall take effect immediately.