PRINTER'S NO. 3697
No. 2669 Session of 1990
INTRODUCED BY TIGUE, BLAUM, HASAY, JAROLIN, STISH, DIETTERICK,
CALTAGIRONE, ARGALL, DISTLER, NOYE, FARGO, PESCI, DEMPSEY,
PISTELLA, GODSHALL, G. SNYDER, FAIRCHILD, STABACK, CARLSON,
McHALE, MORRIS, JOHNSON, RYBAK, TANGRETTI, CAPPABIANCA,
McNALLY, TRELLO, BATTISTO, CORRIGAN, MELIO, MICHLOVIC,
KOSINSKI, JAMES, ITKIN, KAISER, J. TAYLOR, McVERRY, BELARDI,
OLASZ, McCALL, D. W. SNYDER AND KASUNIC, JUNE 12, 1990
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON YOUTH AND AGING, JUNE 12, 1990
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of November 26, 1975 (P.L.438, No.124),
2 entitled, as amended, "An act establishing child protective
3 services; providing procedures for reporting and
4 investigating the abuse of children; establishing and
5 providing access to a Statewide central register and pending
6 complaint file on child abuse; investigating such reports;
7 providing for taking protective action including taking a
8 child into protective custody; placing duties on the
9 Department of Public Welfare and county children and youth
10 social service agencies; establishing child protective
11 services in each county children and youth social service
12 agency; and providing penalties," further providing for
13 confidentiality of records.
14 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
15 hereby enacts as follows:
16 Section 1. Section 15(a) of the act of November 26, 1975
17 (P.L.438, No.124), known as the Child Protective Services Law,
18 is amended by adding a clause to read:
19 Section 15. Confidentiality of Records.--(a) Except as
20 provided in section 14, reports made pursuant to this act
21 including but not limited to report summaries of child abuse
1 made pursuant to section 6(b) and written reports made pursuant
2 to section 6(c) as well as any other information obtained,
3 reports written or photographs or x-rays taken concerning
4 alleged instances of child abuse in the possession of the
5 department, a county children and youth social service agency or
6 a child protective service shall be confidential and shall only
7 be made available to:
8 * * *
9 (5.1) A court of common pleas in connection with any matter
10 involving custody of a child. The department shall provide to
11 the court any reports and files which the court deems to be
12 relevant.
13 * * *
14 Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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