Pennsylvania SB 723: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in high schools, further providing for courses of study.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 738
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 723
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY J. WARD, FONTANA, BROWN, PENNYCUICK, CULVER,
BAKER, KANE, STEFANO AND MILLER, MAY 5, 2025
REFERRED TO AGING AND YOUTH, MAY 5, 2025
AN ACT
Amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in child protective services, further
providing for responsibility for investigation, for
responsibilities of county agency for child protective
services, for county agency requirements for general
protective services and for purchase of services.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 6334.1(4) of Title 23 of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes is amended and the section is amended by
adding paragraphs to read:
§ 6334.1. Responsibility for investigation.
The department shall establish procedures regarding the
following different responses to address suspected child abuse
and protective services depending on the person's allegedly
committing the suspected child abuse or causing a child to be in
need of protective services:
* * *
(4) If a child is alleged to be in need of other
protective services, the appropriate county agency,
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department employees under paragraph (5) or the contracted
private agency shall assess the needs of the child as
provided in this chapter.
(5) If the department determines that a county agency is
not investigating cases in a timely manner, or the county
agency requests assistance from the department, the
department shall have the authority to assist in the
investigations. The county agency shall designate the general
protective services cases that are to be investigated by the
department. The department employees working on those cases
shall possess the same qualifications and credentials
necessary for county agency personnel to handle
investigations. Department employees shall possess the same
authority to interview witnesses and the child. All
regulations covering the confidentiality of investigations
shall apply to the investigations handled by the department,
as well as any final determination of the case.
(6) The department may form a task force consisting of
department and county agency employees dedicated to
investigating cases it receives under paragraph (5). The task
force may be temporary and may be disbanded when the
department investigation of the designated cases is complete.
(7) The department may authorize the county agency to
contract with a private agency to investigate cases that the
department receives under paragraph (5). The private agency
must be subject to the requirements of 55 Pa. Code Ch. 3680
(relating to administration and operation of a children and
youth social service agency).
(8) The department employees who assist county agencies
shall first work with the county agency personnel to
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determine which cases require general protective services and
those which require child protective services. The department
employees or contracted private agency may then handle the
cases that require general protective services in
consultation with the county agency. If the department's work
on those cases is finished or if there are no general
protective cases that the agency needs assistance with, the
department may assist in cases that require child protective
services.
Section 2. Section 6362(a) of Title 23 is amended to read:
§ 6362. Responsibilities of county agency for child protective
services.
(a) General rule.--[The] Except as provided under section
6334.1(5) (relating to responsibility for investigation), the
county agency shall be the sole civil agency responsible for
receiving and investigating all reports of child abuse made
pursuant to this chapter, specifically including, but not
limited to, reports of child abuse in facilities operated by the
department and other public agencies, for the purpose of
providing protective services to prevent further abuses to
children and to provide or arrange for and monitor the provision
of those services necessary to safeguard and ensure the well-
being and development of the child and to preserve and stabilize
family life wherever appropriate.
* * *
Section 3. Section 6375(a), (b) and (d) of Title 23 are
amended and the section is amended by adding a subsection to
read:
§ 6375. County agency requirements for general protective
services.
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(a) Duties of county agency.--The county agency shall make
available a program of general protective services within each
agency. The county agency or contracted private agency shall
perform those functions assigned by this chapter and others that
would further the purposes of this chapter. It shall have
sufficient staff of sufficient qualificati