Bills Redefine Child Abuse to Better Protect Children
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Rep. Kathy Watson (R-Bucks/144th), chairman of the House Children and Youth Committee, recently led unanimous committee passage of a series of six bills designed to further protect children in Pennsylvania. Pictured at her right is Democrat chairman, Rep. Louise Bishop (D-Philadelphia). Students from J.M. Grasse Elementary School in Sellersville visited the state Capitol on May 23 to learn firsthand about state government. The students posed in the historic Rotunda of the state Capitol during their tour. This group of schoolchildren from J.M. Grasse Elementary School took their studies on the road on May 23 with a field trip to Harrisburg and the state Capitol. The students learned about state government, including the legislative process, as part of their trip. Fourth-graders from St. Jude Elementary School visited the state Capitol on May 2. During the students’ tour of the historic building, they were able to see the state House, Senate and Supreme Court chambers. Here, the students are photographed in the Rotunda of the Main Capitol, in front of the staircase that is similar to one at the Paris Opera House. Nick DeBenedictis of Aqua America water company spoke to a large crowd at the state Capitol on April 24 about how his company has transitioned traditional fuel vehicles to natural gas. Rep. Kathy Watson is the sponsor of House Bill 303, which would create a revolving loan fund for large mass transit agencies to purchase natural gas vehicles. It is part of the Marcellus Works package of proposals that is designed to reduce harmful emissions and air pollution, create jobs, and use Pennsylvania’s own natural resources to work toward energy independence. In total, eight bills in the package contain a series of grants, loans and tax credits to encourage the use of natural gas. Students from the Norwood Fontbonne Academy visited Harrisburg on April 19 and had this photo taken in the historic Capitol Rotunda. In 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt stepped inside the newly built room and proclaimed Pennsylvania’s Capitol to be the most beautiful in the world. Rep. Kathy Watson welcomed Madeline M. Richard to the House chamber on March 12. Madeline, a sophomore at William Tennent High School, served as a guest page that day. She is the daughter of Janet and Joe Richard of Warminster. Guest pages perform a number of messenger duties and may also distribute amendments or other materials to representatives during session. They also routinely deliver legislation to and from the Legislative Reference Bureau, where all bills, amendments, and resolutions are written. Pages also deliver bills passed by the House to the Chief Clerk for his signature. Rep. Kathy Watson led a second day of public hearings of the House Children and Youth Committee to examine a number of proposals to further protect children in Pennsylvania. The March 5 hearing included examination of measures to address enhanced background clearances, removal of separate standards for school employees, and additional safeguards and due process with respect to the outcome of a child abuse investigation. Pictured with her are Democrat Chairman Louise Bishop (D-Philadelphia) and John Scarpato, executive director of the committee. Jason Kutulakis, a member of the Task Force on Child Protection, appeared before the House Children and Youth Committee on March 5 to discuss legislation that would initiate a tighter safety net of background clearances, additional safeguards during the investigative process, and fairer standards across the board. Kutulakis, an attorney from Carlisle, was among the child welfare experts, education professionals and volunteer organizations that testified at the public hearing in Harrisburg. As chairman of the House Children and Youth Committee, Rep. Kathy Watson joined members of the House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday as they heard from Acting Secretary of Welfare Bev Mackereth. During the annual budget hearing, she asked Mackereth about the implementation of any of the recommendations from the Task Force on Child Protection and the overall cost that will add to state government. Many of the recommendations have since been developed into legislation, and those bills are currently before the House Children and Youth Committee for study. During a public hearing on mandated reporters of child abuse, Rep. Kathy Watson, who leads the committee as its chairman, spoke about new legislation to further protect children. The package, she said, is a work in progress, and seeks to close some of the cracks in the child protection system. Specifically, the committee explored a bill package to expand the list of people who are mandated by law to report suspected child abuse as a course of their jobs or volunteer work, provide training to mandated reporters, improve procedures for reporting, and protect employees from workplace discrimination should a case be reported in good faith. Bucks County District Attorney David Heckler and Cindy Christian, M.D., who were members of the Task Force on Child Protection, appeared before the House Children and Youth Committee on Feb. 26 to share their thoughts on legislation that would seek to further protect children by addressing those individuals who, by state law, are required to report suspected child abuse. As chairman of the House Children and Youth Committee, Rep. Kathy Watson spoke about two bills she has authored to further protect children by easing the process for those who would report suspected abuse. She spoke about House Bills 429 and 430 during a public hearing on that legislation on Feb. 26. House Bill 430 would establish procedures for reporting suspected child abuse through advanced communication technology, and that would improve the ability of reports to be made in a timely manner and to relay that information to the proper investigative authorities. And House Bill 429 would expand protections from employment discrimination to any person who makes a good faith report of suspected child abuse. Pictured with her is Rep. Louise Bishop (D-Philadelphia), minority chairman of the committee; and John Scarpato, executive director of the committee. Rep. Kathy Watson joined Gov. Tom Corbett and Secretary of Aging Brian Duke in Philadelphia on Thursday to sign an executive order creating the Alzheimer’s Disease State Planning Committee. The committee, which will be comprised of various stakeholders in the Alzheimer’s community, will develop a long-range strategy to care for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and help support their families and caregivers. Dr. Cindy Christian, director, Safe Place, Child Protection and Health at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and medical director for Department of Human Services, Philadelphia, told members of the House Children and Youth and Judiciary committees that in her experience as a practicing pediatrician, Pennsylvania’s definition of child physical abuse has been incredibly problematic for years, probably the narrowest in the country. As a result, children are not adequately protected. Members of the House Children and Youth and Judiciary committees, during a Jan. 22 public hearing child abuse recommendations, reminded the public that anyone – at any time – can report concerns or suspicions about child abuse by calling the ChildLine hotline at 1-800-932-0313. The Children and Youth and Judiciary committees will hold additional informational meetings and voting meetings in February and March to further their work on the task force recommendations. Bucks County District Attorney David Heckler, who served as chairman of the Task Force on Child Protection, the House Children and Youth and Judiciary committees that there needs to be an ongoing dialogue with the Legislature about child abuse. He said the Sandusky case and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia cases succeeded in bringing home to us is that this stuff happens and it happens a lot. Heckler said that the key to developing workable and reasonable legislation is looking at this from a child’s viewpoint and that will help determine what makes sense in investigating, prosecuting and preventing child abuse. During the Jan. 22 House Children and Youth Committee hearing on the recommendations presented by the Task Force on Child Protection, Rep. Kathy Watson thanked the task force members for their diligence and efforts in putting together the 427-page document. She called the report an important contribution to children in Pennsylvania and said these recommendations are a good road map for lawmakers in further protecting the children and families of Pennsylvania. The House Children and Youth and Judiciary committees accepted the report and recommendations of the Task Force on Child Protection on Jan. 22, and the respective committee chairmen – Reps. Kathy Watson and Ron Marsico (R-Dauphin) – indicated that both panels will be thoroughly reviewing many of the proposals outlined by the task force, developing them into legislation and helping to make Pennsylvania a safer place for children. Reps. Kathy Watson and Marguerite Quinn welcomed Aaron Tielemans, a Bucks County resident who recently visited the Capitol and served as a guest page on the House floor. Pictured with them is Speaker of the House Sam Smith. During the ceremonial portion of Monday’s ribbon-cutting event, Rep. Kathy Watson held up the front page of the Intelligencer to talk about the enormous milestone of the new Route 202 parkway in Warrington Township. This project has been five decades in the making, and is one of the Commonwealth’s newest scenic byways. In addition to helping to alleviate traffic congestion, the new parkway offers multi-use pathways for pedestrians and bicyclists. The route has been designated the George A. Penglase Memorial Parkway, in memory of a late Bucks County man who was instrumental in advocating for the new roadway, and another bridge on the parkway is named for Robert V. Cotton, another long-time advocate who currently serves as vice chairman for the New Britain Township Board of Commissioners. Project engineer Eric Frary of Michael Baker Jr. Inc. of Horsham (center) and George Niblock, a decades-long advocate for the parkway, joined Rep. Kathy Watson before the Dec. 3 ribbon-cutting ceremony to talk about all of the hard work – from advocacy, planning, design, utility relocation and construction – that was coordinated by many, many dedicated people to make the parkway a reality. The trio is standing in front of the George Niblock Bridge. As part of the grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony was a parade of antique cars on the new parkway, now known as U.S. Route 202. One of those cars included a 1940 Ford sedan. Lt. Gov. Jim Cawley joined local and state officials Dec. 3 for the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new U.S. Route 202 Parkway. Reps. Kathy Watson and Kate Harper thanked Lt. Gov. Cawley for being present on such a momentous day for the transportation network of Bucks and Montgomery counties. Joining Rep. Kathy Watson on Dec. 3 for the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the new U.S. Route 202 Parkway in Warrington Township were (pictured from left): Sen. Stewart Greenleaf, Montgomery County Commissioner Bruce Castor, Rep. Todd Stephens, Lt. Gov. Jim Cawley, Rep. Kate Harper, Bucks County Commissioner Robert Loughery, Rep. Marguerite Quinn and Sen. Chuck McIlhinney. Secretary of Aging Brian Duke, of Bucks County, speaks to the crowd of participants at this year’s Philadelphia Walk to End Alzheimer’s about the Commonwealth’s efforts to care for those with the devastating disease. Nearly 400,000 Pennsylvania residents are currently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or another form of cognitive impairment, with more than 650,000 caregivers supporting them. Thousands of people lined up early to participate in this year’s Philadelphia Walk to End Alzheimer’s at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Nov. 17. One in 12 Pennsylvania families is affected by Alzheimer’s or another form of cognitive dementia. Rep. Tim Hennessey and I, along with ennsylvania Aging Secretary Brian Duke, came together on Nov. 17 to participate in this year’s Philadelphia Walk to End Alzheimer’s at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. Together, we have been working this year to authorize a long-range strategy to care for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. An overall state plan would help support their families and caregivers. Rep. Kathy Watson joined Sen. Chuck McIlhinney for their joint Senior Expo on Oct. 26 at Delaware Valley College. The expo featured more than 50 exhibitors, including blood pressure checks and cooking demonstrations, and information on Social Security, long-term care, health care, nutrition and exercise, public utilities, taxes, veterans’ issues and volunteer opportunities. Bob Marino from the Alzheimer’s Association joined Rep. Kathy Watson for her annual Senior Expo at Delaware Valley College on Oct. 26. Watson, who co-chairs the House Alzheimer’s Caucus, has been working on creating an Alzheimer’s state plan to develop a comprehensive strategy to address the growth of Alzheimer’s disease and other related cognitive disorders within the Commonwealth. During Rep. Kathy Watson’s annual Senior Expo on Oct. 26, she caught up with Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick and Guardians of National Cemetery Jack Jameson. The event included information for older residents including services available to local veterans. The event is also being sponsored by Sen. Chuck McIlhinney. On June 30, Rep. Kathy Watson, a member of the House Human Services Committee, joined House Appropriations Committee Chairman Bill Adolph, her legislative colleagues and several organizations that provide human services to discuss human services funding in the 2012-13 state budget. The House was able to restore much of the funding that was proposed to be cut for these valuable programs, and we also, for the first time, set aside money to directly address the waiting list for those with intellectual disabilities.
 
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