PENNSYLVANIA, June 24 - PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 65

PRINTER'S NO. 930

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

SENATE BILL

No.

78

Session of

2021

INTRODUCED BY BAKER, SANTARSIERO, VOGEL, KEARNEY, FONTANA,

BARTOLOTTA, COLLETT, HUGHES, MARTIN, YUDICHAK, BLAKE, COSTA,

SCHWANK, BROWNE, PHILLIPS-HILL, MENSCH, YAW, MUTH, KANE,

COMITTA AND STEFANO, JANUARY 22, 2021

AS AMENDED ON THIRD CONSIDERATION, JUNE 21, 2021

AN ACT

Amending Titles 23 (Domestic Relations) and 42 (Judiciary and

Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated

Statutes, in child custody, further providing for

definitions, for award of custody, for factors to consider

when awarding custody, for consideration of criminal

conviction, for guardian ad litem for child, for counsel for

child and for award of counsel fees, costs and expenses; and,

in Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts, providing

for child abuse and domestic abuse education and training

program for judges and court personnel.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. The General Assembly finds and declares as

follows:

(1) The Commonwealth has a duty to protect all children

in this Commonwealth and all three branches of the State

government play important roles in fulfilling that duty.

(2) Domestic abuse is a pattern of abuse within the

family or household and can include abuse of a partner,

spouse, child or pet.

(3) Although abusers often use physical violence as one

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