2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Act 35 - ADMINISTRATIVE CODE OF 1929 - NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY CONTACT

Session of 2021

No. 2021-35

HB 741

AN ACT

Amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), entitled "An act providing for and reorganizing the conduct of the executive and administrative work of the Commonwealth by the Executive Department thereof and the administrative departments, boards, commissions, and officers thereof, including the boards of trustees of State Normal Schools, or Teachers Colleges; abolishing, creating, reorganizing or authorizing the reorganization of certain administrative departments, boards, and commissions; defining the powers and duties of the Governor and other executive and administrative officers, and of the several administrative departments, boards, commissions, and officers; fixing the salaries of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and certain other executive and administrative officers; providing for the appointment of certain administrative officers, and of all deputies and other assistants and employes in certain departments, boards, and commissions; providing for judicial administration; and prescribing the manner in which the number and compensation of the deputies and all other assistants and employes of certain departments, boards and commissions shall be determined," in powers and duties of the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, providing for notification of emergency contact.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1.  The act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known as The Administrative Code of 1929, is amended by adding a section to read:

Section 2319-A.  Notification of emergency contact.

(a)  General rule.--A drug and alcohol recovery house shall notify as appropriate, by a method consented to by the resident, an emergency contact designated by a resident if the resident self-discharges from or leaves and fails to return as expected to the drug and alcohol recovery house, provided that the resident has not revoked consent to notify the emergency contact. Notification shall occur immediately and in no event later than 12 hours of self-discharge or after a resident fails to return to the drug and alcohol recovery house at the resident's expected time.

(b)  Policies and procedures.--A drug and alcohol recovery house shall attempt to notify the emergency contact at least once and develop policies and procedures to implement this section, which shall include advising residents of notifications required to be made by the drug and alcohol recovery house.

(c)  Applicability.--The provisions of this section shall not apply where the drug and alcohol recovery house has knowledge of or reason to know of allegations of domestic abuse perpetrated upon the resident by the emergency contact. This section may not be interpreted to hold the drug and alcohol recovery house liable beyond its duties therein.

Section 2.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.

APPROVED--The 30th day of June, A.D. 2021.

TOM WOLF