HB 751 — An Act amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in child protective services, further providing for definitions.

PRINTER'S NO.   775

                      THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                          HOUSE BILL
                          No. 751
                                                 Session of
                                                   2025

     INTRODUCED BY MAJOR, MARCH 3, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, MARCH 3, 2025


                                      AN ACT
 1   Amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania
 2      Consolidated Statutes, in child protective services, further
 3      providing for definitions.
 4      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 5   hereby enacts as follows:
 6      Section 1.     The definitions of "founded report," "school" and
 7   "student" in section 6303(a) of Title 23 of the Pennsylvania
 8   Consolidated Statutes are amended to read:
 9   § 6303.    Definitions.
10      (a)    General rule.--The following words and phrases when used
11   in this chapter shall have the meanings given to them in this
12   section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
13      * * *
14      "Founded report."      A child abuse report involving a
15   perpetrator that is made pursuant to this chapter, if any of the
16   following applies:
17             (1)   There has been a judicial adjudication based on a
18      finding that a child who is a subject of the report has been
19      abused and the adjudication involves the same factual
 1    circumstances involved in the allegation of child abuse. The
 2    judicial adjudication may include any of the following:
 3               (i)    The entry of a plea of guilty or nolo
 4        contendere.
 5               (ii)    A finding of guilt to a criminal charge.
 6               (iii)    A finding of dependency under 42 Pa.C.S. §
 7        6341 (relating to adjudication) if the court has entered
 8        a finding that a child who is the subject of the report
 9        has been abused.
10               (iv)    A finding of delinquency under 42 Pa.C.S. §
11        6341 if the court has entered a finding that the child
12        who is the subject of the report has been abused by the
13        child who was found to be delinquent.
14        [(2)    There has been an acceptance into an accelerated
15    rehabilitative disposition program and the reason for the
16    acceptance involves the same factual circumstances involved
17    in the allegation of child abuse.]
18        (3)    There has been a consent decree entered in a
19    juvenile proceeding under 42 Pa.C.S. Ch. 63 (relating to
20    juvenile matters), the decree involves the same factual
21    circumstances involved in the allegation of child abuse and
22    the terms and conditions of the consent decree include an
23    acknowledgment, admission or finding that a child who is the
24    subject of the report has been abused by the child who is
25    alleged to be delinquent.
26        (4)    A final protection from abuse order has been granted
27    under section 6108 (relating to relief), when the child who
28    is a subject of the report is one of the individuals
29    protected under the protection from abuse order and:
30               (i)    only one individual is charged with the abuse in

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 1          the protection from abuse action;
 2                 (ii)    only that individual defends against the
 3          charge;
 4                 (iii)    the adjudication involves the same factual
 5          circumstances involved in the allegation of child abuse;
 6          and
 7                 (iv)    the protection from abuse adjudication finds
 8          that the child abuse occurred.
 9      * * *
10      "School."    A facility providing elementary, secondary or
11   postsecondary educational services. The term includes the
12   following:
13          (1)     Any school of a school district.
14          (2)     An area [vocational-technical] career and technical
15      school.
16          (3)     A joint school.
17          (4)     An intermediate unit.
18          (5)     A charter school or regional charter school.
19          (6)     A cyber charter school.
20          (7)     A private school licensed under the act of January
21      28, 1988 (P.L.24, No.11), known as the Private Academic
22      Schools Act.
23          (8)     A private school accredited by an accrediting
24      association approved by the State Board of Education.
25          (9)     A nonpublic school.
26          (10)     An institution of higher education.
27          (14)     A private school licensed under the act of December
28      15, 1986 (P.L.1585, No.174), known as the Private Licensed
29      Schools Act.
30          (15)     The Hiram G. Andrews Center.

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1          (16)     A private residential rehabilitative institution as
2      defined in section 914.1-A(c) of the Public School Code of
3      1949.
4      * * *
5      "Student."    An individual enrolled in a public or private
6   school, intermediate unit or area [vocational-technical] career
7   and technical school who is under 18 years of age.
8      * * *
9      Section 2.    This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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