Wolf signs law to increase penalties for endangering children

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf signed a bill Thursday to increase penalties for people who endanger children.

The bill was introduced by Rep. Rob Kauffman and passed unanimously by both the House and Senate. Officials with the governor’s office said Act 12, House Bill 217 will strengthen Pennsylvania’s child endangerment laws and help further protect children from abuse and mistreatment

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“Our children are the most precious and vulnerable members of our society,” Wolf said in a press release. “We need to protect them from harm and ensure that they can grow up in a safe environment so that they can develop into successful and happy adults. This bill will strengthen the child endangerment laws in Pennsylvania –- and will help to ensure that Pennsylvania’s children have the chance to live and grow safely.”

The new law allows courts to take into account the age of a child who is put in danger, as well as the degree of harm done, to more accurately reflect the reality of the situation when deciding how to prosecute people who hurt children.

The governor’s office said age and level-of-harm distinctions will work by increasing the penalty based on the degree of harm someone puts a child in. It will also increase the penalty by one grade if the child is younger than 6 years old.

The bill also requires the court to consider ordering any person who is convicted of endangering a child to undergo counseling.

Cox Media Group