PRINTER'S NO. 951
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
944
Session of
2021
INTRODUCED BY E. NELSON, LONGIETTI, HILL-EVANS, MARKOSEK,
R. BROWN, SANCHEZ, PISCIOTTANO, NEILSON, BURGOS, JOZWIAK,
SCHLEGEL CULVER, DUNBAR, GLEIM, ZIMMERMAN, FREEMAN, STRUZZI,
KINKEAD, GUENST, KINSEY, LEWIS DELROSSO, O'NEAL, RADER,
JAMES, DAVANZO, MUSTELLO, TOPPER, CRUZ AND GILLEN,
MARCH 17, 2021
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES, MARCH 17, 2021
AN ACT
Amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), entitled
"An act providing for and reorganizing the conduct of the
executive and administrative work of the Commonwealth by the
Executive Department thereof and the administrative
departments, boards, commissions, and officers thereof,
including the boards of trustees of State Normal Schools, or
Teachers Colleges; abolishing, creating, reorganizing or
authorizing the reorganization of certain administrative
departments, boards, and commissions; defining the powers and
duties of the Governor and other executive and administrative
officers, and of the several administrative departments,
boards, commissions, and officers; fixing the salaries of the
Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and certain other executive
and administrative officers; providing for the appointment of
certain administrative officers, and of all deputies and
other assistants and employes in certain departments, boards,
and commissions; providing for judicial administration; and
prescribing the manner in which the number and compensation
of the deputies and all other assistants and employes of
certain departments, boards and commissions shall be
determined," in powers and duties of the Department of Drug
and Alcohol Programs, further providing for powers and
duties.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 2301-A of the act of April 9, 1929
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(P.L.177, No.175), known as The Administrative Code of 1929, is
amended by adding a paragraph to read:
Section 2301-A. Powers and duties.
The Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs shall have the
power and its duty shall be:
* * *
(8.1) To require inpatient treatment facilities to
notify as appropriate an emergency contact designated by a
patient if the patient leaves a treatment facility against
medical advice, provided that the patient has not revoked
consent to notify the emergency contact. Notification must
occur immediately and in no event later than 12 hours of a
patient leaving against medical advice. Treatment facilities
shall develop policies and procedures to implement this
paragraph, which shall include advising patients of
notifications required to be made by treatment facilities.
The provisions of this paragraph shall not apply where the
treatment facility has knowledge of or reason to know of
allegations of domestic abuse perpetrated upon the patient by
the emergency contact.
* * *
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
20210HB0944PN0951 - 2 -
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