An Act amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in child protective services, further providing for establishment of Statewide database, for access to information in Statewide database, for information in Statewide database, for disposition of founded and indicated reports, for amendment or expunction of information, for employees having contact with children and adoptive and foster parents, for information relating to certified or licensed child-care home residents, for continued employment or participation in program, activity or service and for investigation of reports.

SB 642 creates a statewide database for child protective services in Pennsylvania, containing founded and indicated child abuse reports. It establishes three clearance levels for background checks required for employees and volunteers working with children, based on their job role: Level 1 (direct care, like teachers or camp counselors) requires reporting certain abuse reports indefinitely or for 3-10 years depending on severity; Level 2 (non-direct roles, like cafeteria staff) has shorter reporting periods (5-15 years) or excludes some reports; and special cases (like kinship caregivers) have different rules. The bill directly affects anyone seeking employment or volunteer positions in schools, day cares, health facilities, or child-focused programs, requiring them to undergo these background checks. The database will limit information shared to only founded/indicated reports relevant to the applicant’s specific role and clearance level.