SB 693 — An Act amending the act of July 9, 1976 (P.L.817, No.143), known as the Mental Health Procedures Act, in general provisions, providing for duty to warn.

Bill Text

• Printer's No. PN0703 View text Current pdf

AI-generated reading aid from the bill's amendatory text — verify against the official bill.

The bill establishes a new duty for qualified professionals to warn potential victims of specific threats communicated by their patients.

• Section 111.1

  Duty to Warn.--(a) A qualified professional has a duty to warn a potential victim and law enforcement of a specific and immediate threat of serious bodily injury when the threat has been communicated to the qualified professional by a patient. (b) In addition to the duty to warn under subsection (a), if the potential victim attends a school district, area career and technical school, intermediate unit, charter school, cyber charter school, regional charter school, nonpublic school or institution of higher education, the qualified professional shall submit a report through the Safe2Say Program established under section 1303-D of the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the "Public School Code of 1949." (c) For the qualified professional to have a duty to warn under this section, the threat must be made against a specifically identified or readily identifiable victim. (d) The following shall apply: (1) If there is only one potential victim, the qualified professional discharges the duty to warn by making reasonable efforts to communicate the threat to the potential victim and law enforcement. (2) If there is more than one potential victim, the qualified professional discharges the duty to warn by communicating the threats to law enforcement. The qualified professional may notify potential victims of the threat. (3) If the threat involves a potential victim under subsection (b), the qualified professional discharges the duty to warn by satisfying the requirements under clause (1) or (2) and submitting a report through the Safe2Say Program. (e) A qualified professional may not be held civilly or criminally liable for any action made in good faith in the discharge of the qualified professional's duties under this section. (f) As used in this section, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: "Institution of higher education." An independent institution of higher education, a community college, a State-related institution or a member institution of the State System of Higher Education. "Nonpublic school." A school that is a nonprofit organization and is located in this Commonwealth. The term does not include a public school.

  This provision mandates that qualified professionals must alert potential victims and law enforcement when threats are made, particularly in educational settings.

Action History

1. April 28, 2025

   Referred to Health & Human Services

Sponsors

• Wayne Langerholc · Primary
• Judy Ward · Cosponsor
• Patrick J. Stefano · Cosponsor
• Elder A. Vogel · Cosponsor
• Frank A. Farry · Cosponsor

Subjects