PRINTER'S NO. 2052
No. 1617 Session of 2005
INTRODUCED BY FAIRCHILD, ALLEN, BEBKO-JONES, BELFANTI, BLAUM,
CALTAGIRONE, CAPPELLI, CRAHALLA, CREIGHTON, DALEY, DALLY,
GEIST, GERGELY, GINGRICH, HENNESSEY, JAMES, LEDERER, LEH,
PHILLIPS, SATHER, E. Z. TAYLOR, THOMAS, YOUNGBLOOD, DENLINGER
AND KAUFFMAN, JUNE 3, 2005
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CONSUMER AFFAIRS, JUNE 3, 2005
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
2 act relating to the public school system, including certain
3 provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
4 schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
5 laws relating thereto," providing for child abuse education
6 training.
7 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8 hereby enacts as follows:
9 Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
10 as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a
11 section to read:
12 Section 1205.5. Child Abuse Education Training.--(a) School
13 entities shall be required to offer a child abuse education
14 training course at least once every year.
15 (b) (1) Employes of the school entity who are enumerated
16 under 23 Pa.C.S. § 6311(b) (relating to persons required to
17 report suspected child abuse) shall attend a child abuse
18 education training course under subsection (a) at least once
1 every five years and:
2 (i) if they are employed by the school entity on the
3 effective date of this section shall attend a child abuse
4 education training course under subsection (a) within two years
5 of the effective date of this section; or
6 (ii) if they are hired by the school entity after the
7 effective date of this section and have not attended a child
8 abuse education training course under subsection (a) within the
9 preceding five years shall attend a child abuse education
10 training course within their first year of employment.
11 (2) The course may be offered as an option to all employes
12 of the school entity who are not required to attend a child
13 abuse education training course under paragraph (1).
14 (c) A child abuse education training course under subsection
15 (a) may be conducted by school district personnel that have
16 completed a program of instruction as prescribed by the
17 Department of Public Welfare.
18 (d) Hours spent in the child abuse education training course
19 shall be considered hours of continuing professional education
20 for the purposes of section 1205.2.
21 (e) School districts may include this training in the
22 continuing education plan submitted by the district to the
23 Department of Education under section 1205.1.
24 (f) As used in this section, the phrase "child abuse
25 education training course" shall mean the ongoing training and
26 education training program conducted pursuant to 23 Pa.C.S. §
27 6383(a) (relating to education and training) for persons
28 required to make reports of child abuse.
29 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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