HB 498 — An Act amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in protection from abuse, further providing for emergency relief by minor judiciary.

PRINTER'S NO.    487

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 498
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY KAZEEM, KHAN, HOHENSTEIN, SANCHEZ, GIRAL, HILL-
        EVANS, POWELL, FLEMING, FIEDLER, HOWARD, KINKEAD, OTTEN,
        CERRATO, DALEY, CIRESI, CONKLIN, DEASY, STEELE AND GREEN,
        FEBRUARY 5, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, FEBRUARY 5, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania
 2      Consolidated Statutes, in protection from abuse, further
 3      providing for emergency relief by minor judiciary.
 4      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 5   hereby enacts as follows:
 6      Section 1.    Section 6110(b) and (d) of Title 23 of the
 7   Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended to read:
 8   § 6110.    Emergency relief by minor judiciary.
 9      * * *
10      (b)    Expiration of order.--An order issued under subsection
11   (a) shall expire at the end of the next business day the court
12   deems itself available[.], unless a court by local rule provides
13   that orders issued under subsection (a) expire when the court
14   holds a hearing under this chapter or within 10 business days,
15   whichever occurs sooner. Orders issued in counties that have
16   adopted a local rule under this subsection shall be entered into
17   the Statewide registry in accordance with section 6105(e)
 1   (relating to responsibilities of law enforcement agencies). The
 2   court shall schedule hearings on protection orders entered by
 3   hearing officers under subsection (a) and shall review and
 4   continue in effect protection orders that are necessary to
 5   protect the plaintiff or minor children from abuse until the
 6   hearing, at which time the plaintiff may seek a temporary order
 7   from the court.
 8      * * *
 9      (d)   Instructions regarding the commencement of
10   proceedings.--[Upon]
11            (1)   Except in a county where by local rule an order
12      issued under subsection (a) expires when the court holds a
13      hearing under this chapter, upon issuance of an emergency
14      order, the hearing officer shall provide the plaintiff
15      instructions regarding the commencement of proceedings in the
16      court of common pleas at the beginning of the next business
17      day and regarding the procedures for initiating a contempt
18      charge should the defendant violate the emergency order. The
19      hearing officer shall also advise the plaintiff of the
20      existence of programs for victims of domestic violence in the
21      county or in nearby counties and inform the plaintiff of the
22      availability of legal assistance without cost if the
23      plaintiff is unable to pay for them.
24            (2)   In a county where by local rule an order issued
25      under subsection (a) expires when the court holds a hearing
26      under this chapter, upon issuance of an emergency order, the
27      hearing officer shall provide both the plaintiff and the
28      defendant notice of the date, time and place of the hearing
29      before the court of common pleas for the issuance of a final
30      order or the continuation of a temporary order and shall

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1     provide the plaintiff notice of the procedures for initiating
2     a contempt charge should the defendant violate the emergency
3     order. The hearing officer shall also advise the plaintiff of
4     the existence of programs for victims of domestic violence in
5     the county or in nearby counties and inform the plaintiff of
6     the availability of legal assistance without cost if the
7     plaintiff is unable to pay for the programs.
8     * * *
9     Section 2.    This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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