(a) General rule.--When a report of suspected child abuse is determined by the appropriate county agency to be an unfounded report, the information concerning that report of suspected child abuse shall be maintained for a period of one year. Following the expiration of one year after the date the report was received by the department, the report shall be expunged from the Statewide database, as soon as possible, but no later than 120 days after the one-year period following the date the report was received by the department, and no information other than that authorized by subsection (b), which shall not include any identifying information on any subject of the report, shall be retained by the department. The expunction shall be mandated and guaranteed by the department.

(b) Absence of other determination.--If an investigation of a report of suspected child abuse conducted by the appropriate county agency pursuant to this chapter does not determine within 60 days of the date of the initial report of the instance of suspected child abuse that the report is a founded report, an indicated report or an unfounded report, or unless within that same 60-day period court action has been initiated and is responsible for the delay, the report shall be considered to be an unfounded report, and all information identifying the subjects of the report shall be expunged no later than 120 days following the expiration of one year after the date the report was received by the department. The agency shall advise the department that court action or an arrest has been initiated so that the Statewide database is kept current regarding the status of all legal proceedings and expunction is delayed.

(c) Unfounded reports accepted for services.--Information on an unfounded report shall be retained in the Statewide database if the county agency has accepted the family for services and the report of suspected child abuse is clearly identified as an unfounded report. The county agency shall notify the department immediately upon closure of the case, and the report shall be expunged as soon as possible, but no later than 120 days after the one-year period following the date the family case was closed. If the subject child of the unfounded report becomes 23 years of age prior to the closure of the family case, the unfounded report shall be expunged when the subject child reaches 23 years of age.

(d) Expunction of valid general protective services reports.--Information concerning valid general protective services reports shall be maintained in the Statewide database as follows:

(1) Reports that are assessed by the county agency and are determined to be valid, but are not accepted for services, shall be reported to the department and entered into the Statewide database. The reports shall be maintained for a period of ten years or until the youngest child identified in the most recent general protective services report attains 23 years of age, whichever occurs first. Following the expiration of ten years after the date the report was received by the department or until the youngest child identified in the most recent general protective services report attains 23 years of age, whichever occurs first, the report shall be expunged from the Statewide database as soon as possible, but no later than 120 days after the ten-year period following the date the report was received by the department or the youngest child identified in the most recent general protective services report attains 23 years of age, whichever occurs first.

(2) Reports that are assessed by the county agency and accepted for services shall be reported to the department, except as otherwise provided in subsection (f)(2), and entered into the Statewide database. The reports shall be maintained for a period of ten years after the closure of services by the county agency or until the youngest child identified in the most recent general protective services report attains 23 years of age, whichever occurs first. Following the expiration of ten years after the closure of services by the county agency or until the youngest child identified in the most recent general protective services report attains 23 years of age, whichever occurs first, the report shall be expunged from the Statewide database as soon as possible, but no later than 120 days after the ten-year period following the closure of services by the county agency or the youngest child identified in the most recent general protective services report attains 23 years of age, whichever occurs first.

(3) The expunction of information on general protective services under this subsection shall be mandated and guaranteed by the department.

(e) Expunction of invalid general protective services reports.--When a report alleging the need for general protective services is determined by the appropriate county agency to be an invalid report, the information concerning that report shall be maintained for a period of one year. Following the expiration of one year after the date the report was received by the department, the report shall be expunged as soon as possible, but no later than 120 days after the one-year period following the date the report was received by the department. The expunction shall be mandated and guaranteed by the department.

(f) County agency records.--Information concerning protective services reports shall be maintained by a county agency as follows:

(1) County agency records of protective services shall be used and maintained in a manner that is consistent with the use and maintenance of information in the Statewide database, as provided under this chapter, except as otherwise provided in paragraph (2). If required under this chapter to amend or expunge information in the Statewide database, the department shall notify the appropriate county agency of the amendment or expungement within ten days. The county agency shall amend or expunge its records in a commensurate manner within ten days of receiving notification from the department.

(2) A county agency may maintain information regarding protective services reports that have been expunged in the Statewide database for access by the county agency to assist in future risk and safety assessments and research.

(Dec. 16, 1994, P.L.1292, No.151, eff. July 1, 1996; Dec. 15, 1998, P.L.963, No.127, eff. Mar. 1, 1999; Apr. 7, 2014, P.L.388, No.29, eff. Dec. 31, 2014; June 28, 2018, P.L.375, No.54, eff. 365 days)

2018 Amendment. Act 54 amended subsecs. (d) and (f). See section 3 of Act 54 in the appendix to this title for special provisions relating to expunction.

Cross References. Section 6337 is referred to in sections 6336, 6349 of this title.