House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

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House of Representatives
Session of 2017 - 2018 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted:	April 11, 2017 11:47 AM
From:	Representative Joanna E. McClinton
To:	All House members
Subject:	Co-Sponsorship: DRUG-RELATED CHILD ENDANGERMENT

In the near future, I plan to introduce and ask that you please join me as a sponsor of a legislative proposal which would amend the Crimes Code to provide for drug-related child endangerment. The opioid and heroin epidemic has shown us that parental substance abuse does have negative effects on the health, safety, and general welfare of children. From the many media reports of young children alone in cars, stores, parks, parking lots and homes with a parent (or parents) who has overdosed on heroin or an opioid, we know that children are harmed and some die because of parental substance abuse. Child welfare advocates are also concerned about the harm caused to children of any age who are exposed to illegal drug activity in their homes or environment. Consequently, my legislative proposal would make it a criminal offense for a person to endanger the life or health of a child by exposing or allowing a child to be exposed to an environment where a drug, including heroin and other opioids, is delivered, stored, processed, consumed, used or otherwise present in violation of The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetics Act. The grading of the offense would range from a felony of the first degree to a felony of the third degree, depending on the nature of the harm or injury sustained by the child. The term “drug” would be defined as any “controlled substance, designer drug” or narcotic, as those terms are defined in The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act, which are injected, ingested, inhaled or otherwise introduced into the human body in violation of The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act.” I thank you in advance for joining me as a sponsor of this legislative proposal. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact my office at (717) 772-9850.

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