SB 234 — 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.    187

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                        SENATE BILL
                        No. 234
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY FARRY, PENNYCUICK, FONTANA, BROWN, BARTOLOTTA,
        KEARNEY, COSTA, TARTAGLIONE, STEFANO, DUSH AND SANTARSIERO,
        FEBRUARY 4, 2025

     REFERRED TO JUDICIARY, FEBRUARY 4, 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 under section 6105(e) (relating to
18   responsibilities of law enforcement agencies). The court shall
 1   schedule hearings on protection orders entered by hearing
 2   officers under subsection (a) and shall review and continue in
 3   effect protection orders that are necessary to protect the
 4   plaintiff or minor children from abuse until the hearing, at
 5   which time the plaintiff may seek a temporary order from the
 6   court.
 7      * * *
 8      (d)   Instructions regarding the commencement of
 9   proceedings.--[Upon]
10            (1)   Except in a county where by local rule an order
11      issued under subsection (a) expires when the court holds a
12      hearing under this chapter, upon issuance of an emergency
13      order, the hearing officer shall provide the plaintiff
14      instructions regarding the commencement of proceedings in the
15      court of common pleas at the beginning of the next business
16      day and regarding the procedures for initiating a contempt
17      charge should the defendant violate the emergency order. The
18      hearing officer shall also advise the plaintiff of the
19      existence of programs for victims of domestic violence in the
20      county or in nearby counties and inform the plaintiff of the
21      availability of legal assistance without cost if the
22      plaintiff is unable to pay for them.
23            (2)   In a county where by local rule an order issued
24      under subsection (a) expires when the court holds a hearing
25      under this chapter, upon issuance of an emergency order, the
26      hearing officer shall provide both the plaintiff and the
27      defendant notice of the date, time and place of the hearing
28      before the court of common pleas for the issuance of a final
29      order or the continuation of a temporary order and shall
30      provide the plaintiff notice of the procedures for initiating

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




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