HB 138 Pennsylvania House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

An Act amending Titles 23 (Domestic Relations) and 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in proceedings prior to petition to adopt, further providing for grounds for involuntary termination; and, in juvenile matters, further providing for disposition of dependent child.

HB 138 amends Pennsylvania laws governing adoption proceedings and juvenile cases. It changes the legal grounds for ending parental rights before an adoption petition is filed and updates how courts handle children deemed dependent (in need of care). The bill specifically targets procedures in domestic relations (Title 23) and court processes (Title 42) related to these cases. No specific new provisions or changes are detailed in the provided context beyond the title's description of its scope. The bill is currently under review by the Children & Youth committee.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Sep 2025
Committee Review
Jun 2026
House Passage
Jun 2026
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Sep 4, 2025 Last action Jun 25, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Printer's No. PN3481 Printer's No. PN3645 · 3 edits
MINOR
This bill update modifies the criteria for terminating parental rights due to incarceration. It now explicitly exempts cases where parental rights are already terminated under specific statutory grounds (sections 2511(a)(9), (10), or (11)) from the general rule that allows termination after 15 months of incarceration. Additionally, the bill adds a new statutory ground for involuntary termination of parental rights.
Scope change
The bill's scope regarding incarceration-based termination was narrowed to exclude cases already covered by existing statutory grounds, while simultaneously expanding the grounds for termination by adding a new category.
ELIGIBILITY

The rule allowing termination of parental rights after 15 months of incarceration now includes an exception: it does not apply if the parent's rights are already terminated under specific existing legal grounds.

A new statutory ground for involuntary termination of parental rights was added to the list of applicable sections.

TECHNICAL

The bill's version number was updated from PN 3481 to PN 3645, and the committee report date was changed from June 2, 2026, to June 17, 2026.

Floor votes · House Jun 22, 2026

How they voted

1992
Passed
Total votes 201
Jun 22, 2026
D Democratic102
102 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican99
97 Yea 2 Nay
97% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
10
Key actions
4
Committee
6
Amendments
1
Jun 25, 2026
Committee
Referred to Judiciary
upper
Jun 22, 2026
Lower · Passed
Third consideration and final passage
lower
Jun 22, 2026
Lower · Passed
Re-reported as committed
lower
Jun 17, 2026
Committee
Re-committed to Appropriations
lower
Jun 17, 2026
Lower · Passed
Re-reported as committed
lower
Jun 2, 2026
Committee
Re-committed to Rules
lower
Jun 2, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported as amended
lower
Sep 4, 2025
Committee
Referred to Children & Youth
lower
1 primary · 16 co-sponsors

Sponsors