Greenleaf Bill to Close Gap in Child Protection Law Moves 

HARRISBURG –The Senate Aging and Youth Committee voted approval of a measure to ensure the investigation of abuse alleged to have occurred to a Pennsylvania child while visiting in another state.

Senate Bill 86, sponsored by Sen. Stewart J. Greenleaf, now awaits consideration on the Senate floor.

Under current state law, county child protective services agencies are limited to investigating abuse complaints occurring in Pennsylvania.  However, some other states have laws that prohibit investigations involving alleged abuse of children who are non-residents.  Thus, the case of a child who is a Pennsylvania resident and is abused while visiting such other state may never be investigated.

The Greenleaf amendment to Pennsylvania's Child Protective Services Law would authorize the opening of an investigation into child abuse alleged to have occurred in another state when the other state's law prevents investigations involving non-resident children.  In such cases, the investigation would be authorized in the county of the child's residence.  A copy of the county's report would be provided to the child protective services agency of the other state and to law enforcement officials in the jurisdiction where the abuse allegedly occurred.

The senator developed the legislation after being approached by the custodial parent of a child who complained of abuse while visiting the non-custodial parent in another state.  The custodial parent was told by county child protective services officials that the complaint must be filed in the state where the abuse incidents allegedly occurred.  However, that state's law bars the opening of child abuse investigations involving out-of-state children.  Child protective services officials of the other state have said that they will cooperate with Pennsylvania officials if the Greenleaf proposal becomes law and an investigation of the abuse allegations is opened in Pennsylvania.