House Concurs with Senate to Send Maloney’s “Pass the Trash” Legislation to Corbett
HARRISBURG – Throughout the 2013-14 legislative session, Rep. David Maloney (R-Berks) and Sen. Anthony Williams (D-Philadelphia) have been trying to end the practice of allowing sexual predators to quietly resign from one school with no repercussions and be hired by another school to continue their sexual abuse of students.
Last week, the state Senate voted to approve Rep. David Maloney’s (R-Berks) child protection legislation, which passed the House in April. Maloney’s bill was amended into a broader piece of legislation by Sen. Anthony Williams (D-Philadelphia).
“I have been very concerned that both my and Senator Williams’ child protection legislation languished in the General Assembly for months even as story after story of abuse that may have been prevented ended up on the front pages of Pennsylvania newspapers,” Maloney said. “I commend Senator Williams for spotting the opportunity to amend my bill into Representative Mike Tobash’s
House Bill 1816, on which the House concurred today.”
The legislation would prevent school employees in Pennsylvania who have been caught having sexual relationships with students from being hired by another school by requiring a thorough employment history review prior to offering employment to any applicant for a position involving direct contact with children.
It also requires each applicant must provide detailed background information in order to be considered, and previous employers must provide a school entity with all requested background information regarding a former employee.
The measure also contains a requirement that the Pennsylvania Department of Education obtain and monitor public safety and criminal justice information regarding educators to prevent known abusers from “hiding in plain sight.”
The bill will apply to all public schools, private schools, nonpublic schools, intermediate units and area vocational-technical schools in the Commonwealth.
Representative David Maloney
130th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Charles Lardner
717.260.6443
clardner@pahousegop.com
RepMaloney.com