In the near future I plan on introducing legislation that reforms Pennsylvania’s Filial Responsibility Law to provide an exception for estranged family members.

A constituent recently brought to my attention an issue with Pennsylvania’s filial support statute, 23 Pa.C.S.   4603, which can unfairly hold estranged family members financially liable for their relative’s care.

Filial support establishes the important principle of financial responsibility and support between indigent family members, particularly between older adults and their children for end-of-life medical care. However, there are certain situations where this responsibility should not be reasonably expected, let alone mandated by statute.

Under the current statute, adult children can be held financially responsible for an abusive indigent parent’s expenses, even if the parent has severed all contact with the child. Currently, the only exceptions to this liability are for individuals who lack the financial means to provide support or for children who were abandoned by a parent for at least ten years during their childhood.

My proposal will add an exception for cases of prolonged parental estrangement. This change will ensure that children are not unfairly burdened by the financial obligations of estranged parents.

I hope you will join me in cosponsoring this important piece of legislation.