HB 1399 — An Act amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in child protective services, further providing for persons required to report suspected child abuse and for employees having contact with children, adoptive and foster parents.

PRINTER'S NO.   1607

                       THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                           HOUSE BILL
                           No. 1399
                                                  Session of
                                                    2025

     INTRODUCED BY HANBIDGE, WAXMAN, GIRAL, CERRATO, HILL-EVANS,
        GUENST, RIVERA, SANCHEZ, D. WILLIAMS, NEILSON, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ
        AND SHUSTERMAN, MAY 5, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, MAY 6, 2025


                                       AN ACT
 1   Amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania
 2      Consolidated Statutes, in child protective services, further
 3      providing for persons required to report suspected child
 4      abuse and for employees having contact with children,
 5      adoptive and foster parents.
 6      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 7   hereby enacts as follows:
 8      Section 1.      Section 6311(a) of Title 23 of the Pennsylvania
 9   Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding a paragraph and
10   subsection (b)(1) is amended by adding a subparagraph to read:
11   § 6311.    Persons required to report suspected child abuse.
12      (a)    Mandated reporters.--The following adults shall make a
13   report of suspected child abuse, subject to subsection (b), if
14   the person has reasonable cause to suspect that a child is a
15   victim of child abuse:
16             * * *
17             (17)    Any adult, paid or unpaid, reasonably expected to
18      have direct contact with children during the production of a
19      film defined in section 1711-D of the act of March 4, 1971
 1      (P.L.6, No.2), known as the Tax Reform Code of 1971.
 2      (b)    Basis to report.--
 3             (1)   A mandated reporter enumerated in subsection (a)
 4      shall make a report of suspected child abuse in accordance
 5      with section 6313 (relating to reporting procedure), if the
 6      mandated reporter has reasonable cause to suspect that a
 7      child is a victim of child abuse under any of the following
 8      circumstances:
 9                   * * *
10                   (ii.1)   The mandated reporter comes into contact with
11             the child in the course of the production of a film
12             defined in section 1711-D of the Tax Reform Code of 1971.
13                   * * *
14      Section 2.      Section 6344(b) introductory paragraph and (b.1)
15   of Title 23 are amended and subsection (a) is amended by adding
16   a paragraph to read:
17   § 6344.    Employees having contact with children; adoptive and
18                   foster parents.
19      (a)    Applicability.--Beginning December 31, 2014, this
20   section applies to the following individuals:
21             * * *
22             (9)   Any adult, paid or unpaid, reasonably expected to
23      have direct contact with children during the production of a
24      film defined in section 1711-D of the act of March 4, 1971
25      (P.L.6, No.2), known as the Tax Reform Code of 1971.
26      * * *
27      (b)    Information to be submitted.--An individual identified
28   in subsection (a)(7) or (8) at the time the individual meets the
29   description set forth in subsection (a)(7) or (8) and an
30   individual identified in subsection (a)(1), (2), (3), (4), (5)

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 1   (i) [or], (6)[,] or (9), (a.1), (a.2) or (a.3) prior to the
 2   commencement of employment or service or in accordance with
 3   section 6344.4 shall be required to submit the following
 4   information to an employer, administrator, supervisor or other
 5   person responsible for employment decisions or involved in the
 6   selection of volunteers:
 7          * * *
 8      (b.1)   Required documentation to be maintained and
 9   produced.--The employer, administrator, supervisor or other
10   person responsible for employment decisions or acceptance of the
11   individual to serve in any capacity identified in subsection (a)
12   (1), (2), (3), (4), (5)(i) [or], (6)[,] or (9), (a.1) or (a.2)
13   shall maintain a copy of the required information and require
14   the individual to submit the required documents prior to
15   employment or acceptance to serve in any such capacity or as
16   required in section 6344.4, except as allowed under subsection
17   (m).
18      * * *
19      Section 3.   This act shall take effect in 180 days.




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