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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | December 11, 2012 02:57 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Judith L. Schwank |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Auditor General Access to Children's Protective Services information |
| I will shortly re-introduce SB 1312 from the previous session, authorizing the Auditor General access to child abuse records in order to facilitate external oversight of child protective services. The state Child Protective Services Law (CPSL) provides confidentiality for child abuse case information by prohibiting its disclosure outside of a limited category of identified individuals and officials that includes child protection agency personnel, law enforcement authorities and court officials, physicians and federal auditors. Despite having the same responsibility for ensuring the appropriate utilization of public funding, state auditors are excluded. I believe access by state auditors would improve the accountability and response of officials in such cases. Although this proposal was not considered by the recent Task Force on Child Protection, my proposal has the support of the two most recent Auditor Generals, and its pertinence would be further increased under the Task Force proposal to estabilish a multi-disciplinary investigative review process. Co-sponsors in the previous session included Senators Boscola, Browne, Farnese, Ferlo, Huthes, Solobay, Tartaglione, Williams and Yudichak. |
Introduced as SB338
Memo Updated: December 11, 2012 03:14 PM