Pennsylvania SB 956: An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in offenses against the family, providing for the offense of child torture.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 1085
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 956
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY COMITTA, KANE, MUTH, PENNYCUICK, FONTANA, COSTA,
STEFANO, TARTAGLIONE, SANTARSIERO AND VOGEL, JULY 31, 2025
REFERRED TO JUDICIARY, JULY 31, 2025
AN ACT
Amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in offenses against the family,
providing for the offense of child torture.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 18 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
§ 4307. Child torture.
(a) Offense defined.--A person commits the offense of child
torture, if through a course of conduct, the person
intentionally or knowingly commits two or more of the following
acts against a child:
(1) Causing bodily injury or serious bodily injury as
those terms are defined in section 2301 (relating to
definitions).
(2) Causing mental anguish or psychological abuse in an
especially depraved manner.
(3) Unreasonable or extended confinement or restraint.
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(4) Unreasonable or extended activity or forced holding
of positions.
(5) Intentional deprivation or intentional failure to
provide care, protection or support.
(b) Grading.--An offense under this section constitutes a
felony of the first degree.
(c) Evidence and defenses.--A court shall consider all of
the following:
(1) Expert testimony as to the existence or extent of
mental anguish or psychological abuse is not a requirement
for a conviction under this section.
(2) It is not a defense under this section that a child
has a particular susceptibility to mental anguish or
psychological abuse.
(3) Evidence that a child suffered pain is not required
to sustain a conviction.
(4) A person's inability to financially provide care,
protection or support may be considered as a defense to
subsection (a)(5).
(d) Definition.--As used in this section, the term "child"
means a person under who was 18 years of age when the acts under
subsection (a) were committed or began.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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