PRINTER'S NO. 1024
No. 906 Session of 1989
INTRODUCED BY FOX, VROON, KUKOVICH, DIETTERICK, BUNT, RAYMOND,
SAURMAN, JOHNSON, MORRIS, NAHILL, BELARDI, TRELLO, TANGRETTI,
HECKLER, DEMPSEY, MELIO, CIVERA, SERAFINI, CORNELL, VEON,
SEMMEL, HOWLETT AND E. Z. TAYLOR, APRIL 3, 1989
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, APRIL 3, 1989
AN ACT
1 Amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania
2 Consolidated Statutes, requiring persons to whom persons
3 suffering burns come or are brought for treatment to make a
4 report to the police.
5 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
6 hereby enacts as follows:
7 Section 1. Section 5106 of Title 18 of the Pennsylvania
8 Consolidated Statutes is amended to read:
9 § 5106. Failure to report injuries by firearm or criminal act.
10 (a) Offense defined.--A physician, intern or resident, or
11 any person conducting, managing or in charge of any hospital or
12 pharmacy, or in charge of any ward or part of a hospital, to
13 whom shall come or be brought any person:
14 (1) suffering from any wound or other injury inflicted
15 by his own act or by the act of another by means of a deadly
16 weapon as defined in section 2301 [of this title] (relating
17 to definitions); [or]
18 (2) upon whom injuries have been inflicted in violation
1 of any penal law of this Commonwealth; or
2 (3) suffering burns affecting 5% or more of the injured
3 person's body;
4 commits a summary offense if he fails to report such injuries
5 immediately, both by telephone and in writing, to the chief of
6 police or other head of the police department of the local
7 government, or to the Pennsylvania State Police. The report
8 shall state the name of the injured person, if known, his
9 whereabouts and the character and extent of his injuries.
10 (b) Immunity granted.--No physician or other person shall be
11 subject to civil or criminal liability by reason of making a
12 report required by this section.
13 (c) Physician-patient privilege unavailable.--In any
14 judicial proceeding resulting from a report pursuant to this
15 section, the physician-patient privilege shall not apply in
16 respect to evidence regarding such injuries or the cause
17 thereof.
18 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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