HB 460 — An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in certification of teachers, further providing for child abuse recognition and reporting training; and, in terms and courses of study, providing for child abuse awareness and prevention.

PRINTER'S NO.    444

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 460
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY DALEY, MAYES, PIELLI, MALAGARI, GIRAL, HOHENSTEIN,
        CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, STEELE, HILL-EVANS, HOWARD, KHAN, SANCHEZ,
        FLEMING, OTTEN, KENYATTA, DEASY, CERRATO AND GREEN,
        FEBRUARY 4, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN AND YOUTH, FEBRUARY 4, 2025


                                    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," in certification of teachers, further
 6      providing for child abuse recognition and reporting training;
 7      and, in terms and courses of study, providing for child abuse
 8      awareness and prevention.
 9      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
10   hereby enacts as follows:
11      Section 1.    Section 1205.6(a)(3) and (4) of the act of March
12   10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of
13   1949, are amended and paragraph (1) is amended by adding a
14   subparagraph to read:
15      Section 1205.6.    Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting
16   Training.--(a)    School entities and independent contractors of
17   school entities shall provide their employes who have direct
18   contact with children with mandatory training on child abuse
19   recognition and reporting. The following apply:
20      (1)   Training shall address, but shall not be limited to, the
 1   following topics:
 2      * * *
 3      (v)   Child abuse awareness and prevention as described in
 4   section 1529.
 5      * * *
 6      (3)   Employes shall complete a minimum of [three (3)] four
 7   (4) hours of training every five (5) years.
 8      (4)   Employes required to undergo continuing professional
 9   education under section 1205.2 shall receive credit toward their
10   continuing professional education requirements if the training
11   program has been approved by the Department of Education in
12   consultation with the Department of [Public Welfare] Human
13   Services.
14      * * *
15      Section 2.   The act is amended by adding a section to read:
16      Section 1529.    Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention.--(a)
17   Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, each school entity
18   shall develop an age-appropriate child abuse awareness and
19   prevention education program and incorporate the program into
20   the school entity's existing curriculum for students in
21   kindergarten through grade twelve. In developing the program,
22   the school entity shall use the model curriculum developed by
23   the department under subsection (b)(1).
24      (b)   The department, in consultation with the Department of
25   Human Services and at least one organization addressing child
26   abuse, shall:
27      (1)   Develop a model child abuse awareness and prevention
28   curriculum, which may include materials already publicly
29   available, and make the curriculum available to all school
30   entities and, upon request, to nonpublic schools.

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 1      (2)   Compile, develop and post on its publicly accessible
 2   Internet website recommended guidelines and educational
 3   materials regarding child abuse awareness and prevention, which
 4   may include materials already publicly available and which may
 5   be used for the purposes of the training specified under section
 6   1205.6(a)(1)(v).
 7      (c)   As used in this section, the following words and phrases
 8   shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection unless
 9   the context clearly indicates otherwise:
10      "Child abuse."   As defined in 23 Pa.C.S. § 6303(b.1)
11   (relating to definitions).
12      "Department."    The Department of Education of the
13   Commonwealth.
14      "Nonpublic school."   A nonprofit school, other than a school
15   entity, where a resident of this Commonwealth may legally
16   fulfill the compulsory school attendance requirements of this
17   act and which meets the requirements of Title VI of the Civil
18   Rights Act of 1964 (Public Law 88-352, 42 U.S.C. § 2000d et
19   seq.).
20      "School entity."   A school district, joint school district,
21   charter school, regional charter school, cyber charter school,
22   intermediate unit or area career and technical school.
23      Section 3.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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