Pennsylvania Senate Introduces 16-bill Proposal to Reform Child Protection Laws

By Ivey DeJesus
The Patriot-News
March 18, 2013

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2013/03/pennsylvania_senate_introduces.html

Lawmakers are debating a host of reforms in child sex abuse laws in light of the Jerry Sandusky arrest and conviction. The former Penn State defensive football coach, Sandusky is serving a 30- to 60-year sentence for child sex abuse crimes.

A bipartisan group of state senators on Monday unveiled a package of legislation that would reform Pennsylvania’s child protection laws.

The 16-bill package would provide a broad sweep of reform, including updating the definition of child abuse, perpetrator and mandatory reporter. The legislation would also update procedures used to report child abuse, including reporting guidelines for medical practitioners and school employees.

The proposed legislation would implement changes recommended by the Pennsylvania Task Force on Child Protection, which was convened in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky child sexual abuse case.

Sen. Kim Ward (R-39), said the current laws addressing child abuse had been “in the books for a long time,” and that changing times called for an overhaul to the state law. She said the task force found the current law to be “vague, confusing and focused on perpetrators.”

Ward said the reform could not be implemented piecemeal, but that lawmakers needed to look at it as a whole

“It is wonderful and we are all so pleased,” Ward said. “The Senate will take this bipartisan action and it is bipartisan because there is nothing partisan about child abuse. This legislature truly touches lives and if we can get this through, we will touch lives for very long time.”

idejesus@pennlive.com