PRINTER'S NO. 889
No. 799 Session of 2001
INTRODUCED BY DeLUCA, BARD, BELARDI, BLAUM, BUXTON, L. I. COHEN, M. COHEN, COLAFELLA, CRUZ, FRANKEL, GEIST, GRUCELA, HARHAI, HERMAN, HORSEY, JAMES, LAUGHLIN, LEDERER, McCALL, MICHLOVIC, MICOZZIE, PETRARCA, PRESTON, READSHAW, ROONEY, SCRIMENTI, SOLOBAY, STABACK, STEELMAN, STURLA, SURRA, TANGRETTI, THOMAS, TIGUE, TRELLO, WALKO, WASHINGTON, C. WILLIAMS, WOJNAROSKI, YEWCIC AND YUDICHAK, FEBRUARY 26, 2001
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN AND YOUTH, FEBRUARY 26, 2001
AN ACT
1 Amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania
2 Consolidated Statutes, further providing for information on
3 prospective child-care personnel.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Section 6344(a) and (c)(1) of Title 23 of the
7 Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended and the section
8 is amended by adding subsections to read:
9 § 6344. Information relating to prospective child-care
10 personnel.
11 (a) Applicability.--This section applies to all prospective
12 employees of child-care services, prospective foster parents,
13 prospective adoptive parents, prospective self-employed family
14 day-care providers and other persons seeking to provide child-
15 care services under contract with a child-care facility or
16 program. This section also applies to individuals 14 years of
1 age or older who reside in the home of a prospective foster 2 parent for at least 30 days in a calendar year or who reside in 3 the home of a prospective adoptive parent for at least 30 days 4 in a calendar year. This section does not apply to 5 administrative or other support personnel unless their duties 6 will involve direct contact with children. 7 * * * 8 (c) Grounds for denying employment.-- 9 (1) In no case shall an administrator hire an applicant 10 where the department has verified that the applicant is named 11 in the central register as the perpetrator of a founded 12 report of child abuse committed within the five-year period 13 immediately preceding verification pursuant to this section 14 or is named in the central register as the perpetrator of a 15 founded report for a school employee committed within the 16 five-year period immediately preceding verification pursuant 17 to this section. 18 * * * 19 (n) Use of information.--A foster family care agency may not 20 approve a prospective foster parent if the prospective foster 21 parent or an individual 14 years of age or older who resides for 22 at least 30 days in a calendar year with the prospective foster 23 parent meets any of the following: 24 (1) Is named in the central register as the perpetrator 25 of a founded report of child abuse committed within the five- 26 year period immediately preceding verification pursuant to 27 this section or is named in the central register as the 28 perpetrator of a founded report for a school employee 29 committed within the five-year period immediately preceding 30 verification pursuant to this section. 20010H0799B0889 - 2 -
1 (2) Has been found guilty of an offense listed in 2 subsection (c)(2). 3 (o) Use of information.--A prospective adoptive parent may 4 not be approved if the prospective adoptive parent or an 5 individual 14 years of age or older who resides for at least 30 6 days in a calendar year with the prospective adoptive parent 7 meets either of the following: 8 (1) Is named in the central register as the perpetrator 9 of a founded report of child abuse committed within the five- 10 year period immediately preceding verification pursuant to 11 this section or is named in the central register as the 12 perpetrator of a founded report for school employee committed 13 within the five-year period immediately preceding 14 verification pursuant to this section. 15 (2) Has been found guilty of an offense listed in 16 subsection (c)(2). 17 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days. A29L23JLW/20010H0799B0889 - 3 -