2022 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Act 114 - GREATER FATHER INVOLVEMENT ACT - ENACTMENT

An Act

 

Establishing the Pennsylvania Advisory Committee on Greater Father Involvement within the Joint State Government Commission and providing for its powers and duties.

 

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

 

Section 1.  Short title.

This act shall be known and may be cited as the Greater Father Involvement Act.

Section 2.  Definitions.

The following words and phrases when used in this act shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Commission."  The Joint State Government Commission.

"Committee."  The Pennsylvania Advisory Committee on Greater Father Involvement.

Section 3.  Findings and declaration of policy.

The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:

(1)  Fathers are role models, caretakers, providers and advocates. Research shows that father involvement is associated with better outcomes for child well-being.

(2)  When a child has the benefit of access to both parents, the child is more likely to exhibit healthy behaviors, excel in school and achieve emotional well-being.

(3)  Fathers should be fully present and engaged in providing the emotional, social, physical, intellectual, spiritual and financial contributions that their children need to ensure safety, stability and well-being.

(4)  Father involvement is a protective factor for children that aids in the development of resilience and mitigates certain psychological and social risks in adulthood.

(5)  Approximately 24,000,000 of the nation's children are being raised in single-parent households, some without access to their fathers and their emotional and financial support.

(6)  A father's absence or noninvolvement can have a negative impact on a child's well-being from birth forward, increasing the risks of abuse, substance use, educational underachievement and incarceration.

(7)  In the absence of public policy that promotes greater father involvement, many children will be less likely to receive the level of parental support needed to achieve economic stability, emotional well-being and independence.

(8)  Societal and institutional barriers to greater father involvement may include stigma linked to seeking behavioral health services, housing programs that do not encourage fathers living with children and educational and support services systems that do not foster coparenting.

(9)  The public policy of the Commonwealth is to end institutional barriers that may impede fathers in fostering supportive connections with their children, establish support mechanisms to enhance the ability of fathers to assume a beneficial parenting role and assist men in preparing for the legal, financial and emotional responsibilities of fatherhood.

Section 4.  Pennsylvania Advisory Committee on Greater Father Involvement.

(a)  Establishment.--The commission shall establish the Pennsylvania Advisory Committee on Greater Father Involvement within the commission.

(b)  Membership.--The commission shall appoint no fewer than 13 individuals to serve as members of the committee. Committee members shall be residents of this Commonwealth and shall have demonstrated expertise in one or more of the following areas:

(1)  Adoption and foster care.

(2)  Adult education or literacy.

(3)  Behavioral health.

(4)  Early childhood development.

(5)  Education.

(6)  Employment and workforce development.

(7)  Family law and child custody.

(8)  Fatherhood programs or initiatives.

(9)  Housing and independent living.

(10)  Parenting and coparenting.

(11)  Public safety and corrections.

(12)  The juvenile dependency and delinquency systems.

(13)  The Department of Health.

(c)  Reimbursement.--The commission shall reimburse members of the committee for all necessary and reasonable expenses incurred in connection with the performance of their duties as members of the committee.

(d)  Chairperson.--The commission shall designate one of the members of the committee to be the chairperson of the committee. The following apply:

(1)  The chairperson shall preside at all meetings of the committee and perform all the duties and functions of the chairperson.

(2)  The committee may designate one of the members to be the acting chairperson during the absence or incapacity of the chairperson.

(e)  Other officers.--The committee may select other officers as necessary to carry out the powers and duties of the committee.

(f)  Meetings.--

(1)  The first meeting of the committee shall be held in Harrisburg with all members physically present.

(2)  Subsequent meetings of the committee may be held in any manner or at any location that the committee deems appropriate.

(g)  Quorum and official action.--

(1)  A majority of the committee shall constitute a quorum to conduct business.

(2)  A majority of those present at a meeting of the committee shall be sufficient for official action to be taken by the committee.

Section 5.  Powers and duties of committee.

The committee shall:

(1)  Work with State and local governments and other entities through collaboration, coordination, research and consultation to recognize and promote the contributions that fathers make to improving societal outcomes for children and families.

(2)  Evaluate governmental programs and initiatives that impact fatherhood and make recommendations regarding needed improvements and existing impediments to successful implementation of those programs and initiatives.

(3)  Develop a comprehensive plan that will support early connection of fathers to their children beginning in the gestational stage of child development and continuing throughout the life of the child.

(4)  Promote and continue to support programs and entities that foster the following:

(i)  Workforce development programs that assist fathers in preparing for, finding and securing employment.

(ii)  Parenting through skills-based educational programs that foster quality coparenting relationships.

(iii)  Development of conflict resolution skills training.

(5)  Propose changes to statutes, regulations, administrative rules and policies that impede the development or implementation of greater father involvement measures or that will enhance the prospect of success of those measures.

(6)  Identify additional sources of funding, including nongovernmental sources, to support the following:

(i)  The work of the committee.

(ii)  Programs that directly support fathers and responsible fatherhood.

(7)  Make recommendations regarding the possible establishment of a long-term or permanent fatherhood commission and its powers, duties and funding.

(8)  Issue, by December 31, 2023, a report to the Governor and the General Assembly regarding responsible fatherhood programs and issues within this Commonwealth and make recommendations to aid in understanding, evaluating or improving the successful implementation of these programs and issues.

Section 6.  Expiration.

The committee shall expire January 31, 2024.

Section 7.  Effective date.

This act shall take effect immediately.