PRINTER'S NO. 474
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
486
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY BOBACK, READSHAW, RYAN, YOUNGBLOOD, MILLARD, HILL-
EVANS, KIRKLAND, DEASY, MURT, METCALFE, KORTZ, SCHWEYER,
NEILSON, DeLUCA, TOOHIL AND GILLEN, FEBRUARY 12, 2019
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, FEBRUARY 12, 2019
AN ACT
Amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in offenses against the family,
providing for the offense of failure of duty to report
disappearance of child.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 18 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
ยง 4304.1. Duty to report disappearance of child.
(a) Offense defined.--A parent of a child under 14 years of
age commits an offense if the parent, with reckless disregard
for the risk of harm to the child or for the health, safety or
welfare of the child, fails to report the disappearance of the
child to a law enforcement agency.
(b) Grading.--An offense under subsection (a) constitutes a
felony of the third degree.
(c) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
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subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Disappearance." An instance in which the whereabouts of the
child are unknown to the parent for more than 24 hours.
"Parent." A natural parent, stepparent, adoptive parent,
guardian or custodian of a child.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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