HB 1368 — An Act amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in child protective services, further providing for definitions.

PRINTER'S NO.    1562

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 1368
                                                Session of
                                                  2025

     INTRODUCED BY STAATS, PROBST, M. MACKENZIE, BERNSTINE, KAUFFMAN,
        STEHR AND DAY, APRIL 30, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN AND YOUTH, MAY 1, 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.    Section 6303(a) of Title 23 of the Pennsylvania
 7   Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding definitions to read:
 8   § 6303.    Definitions.
 9      (a)    General rule.--The following words and phrases when used
10   in this chapter shall have the meanings given to them in this
11   section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
12      * * *
13      "General protective services report."     A report asserting
14   that a child may be at risk of harm or of harming others due to
15   conditions or circumstances other than abuse.
16      * * *
17      "Valid."    In relation to a general protective services
18   report, a determination that there is substantial evidence that
 1   a child:
 2             (1)   is without proper parental care or control,
 3      subsistence, education as required by law or other care or
 4      control necessary for the child's morals or physical, mental
 5      or emotional health;
 6             (2)   has been placed for care or adoption in violation of
 7      law;
 8             (3)   has been abandoned by or is otherwise without a
 9      parent, guardian or legal custodian;
10             (4)   is habitually and without justification truant from
11      school;
12             (5)   is ungovernable and is at risk of harm or is
13      creating a risk of harm to others due to habitual disregard
14      for the reasonable and lawful commands of the child's parent,
15      guardian or other custodian; or
16             (6)   is under 10 years of age and has committed an act
17      designated as a crime under the laws of this Commonwealth.
18      * * *
19      Section 2.     This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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