|
Alabama |
AL HB 3 |
Requires all persons to report suspected child abuse or neglect to a law enforcement official or the Department of Human Resources. Persons reporting suspected child abuse or neglect would be immune from criminal and civil liability for reports made in good faith. This bill would require individuals holding a professional license or certification who provide services to children to complete annual training on child abuse and neglect mandatory reporting requirements. This bill also would provide that it is a Class C misdemeanor for a person to make a false report of child abuse or neglect or to coerce another to make a false report. |
Pending |
|
Alabama |
AL HB 301 |
Adds physical therapists and employees of public and private institutions of postsecondary and higher education as persons required to report; clarifies that both public and private school employees, teachers and officials are required to report. |
Enacted |
|
Alabama |
AL SB 304 |
Adds physical therapists and employees of public and private institutions of postsecondary and higher education as persons required to report; clarifies that both public and private school employees, teachers, and officials are required to report. |
Pending |
|
Arizona |
AZ SB 1291 |
Specifies a report is not required to be submitted by a mandatory reporter if all of the following apply: a) the minor is of elementary school age, b) the physical injury occurs in the course of typical playground activity during a school day on the premises of the school the minor attends, and c) the physical injury is reported to the legal guardian of the minor. |
Enacted |
|
Arizona |
AZ SB 1468 |
Exempts from the requirement for mandatory reporting if a minor is of elementary school age, and the physical injury occurs in the course of typical playground activity and the physical injury is reported to the legal parent or guardian of the minor. |
Pending |
|
Arkansas |
AR HB 1451 |
Requires mandatory reporters to, within ten days after calling the hotline, to report in writing each instance of alleged or suspected abuse, sexual abuse, or sexual crimes against a child to the appropriate law enforcement or designated state agencies. |
Pending |
|
Arkansas |
AR SB 829 |
Specifies public or private school counselors and higher education officials are mandatory reporters. Adds mental health paraprofessionals to the list of mandatory reporters. |
Pending |
|
California |
CA AB 20
|
Adds librarians to the list of individuals who are mandated reporters under the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act. |
Pending |
|
California |
CA AB 652 |
Provides that the fact that a child is homeless or is classified as an unaccompanied minor is not, in and of itself, a sufficient basis for reporting child abuse or neglect. |
Pending |
|
California |
CA AB 790 |
Requires every mandated reporter who has knowledge of suspected child abuse or neglect to make a report, as specified even when joint knowledge is shared of the abuse and the mandatory reporter is aware of another mandatory reporter making a report. |
Pending |
|
California |
CA AB 1338 |
Requires the governing body of each school district, charter school, and county office of education to adopt a policy on the reporting of child abuse and the responsibilities of mandated reporters. Requires those entities to review the mandated reporting requirements of school employees with all school personnel at the beginning of each school year. |
Pending |
|
Colorado |
CO HB 1104 |
Specifies that persons registered as a psychologist candidate, marriage and family therapist candidate, or licensed professional counselor candidate are required to report suspected child abuse or neglect. |
Enacted |
|
Colorado |
CO SB 12 |
The bill adds directors, coaches, assistant coaches and athletic program personnel for private sports programs or organizations to the list of persons required to report suspected child abuse or neglect to the county or district department of social services or local law enforcement agency. |
Enacted |
|
Colorado |
CO SB 220 |
Adding emergency medical service providers to the list of persons who must report possible instances of child abuse. |
Pending |
|
Connecticut |
CT HB 5230 |
Makes it a criminal offense for a person who witnesses a sexual assault or child abuse among other serious crimes to fail to report that crime to law enforcement officials. |
Pending |
|
Connecticut |
CT HB 6342 |
Makes it a class D felony to intentionally and unreasonably interfere with or prevent the making of a report of suspected child abuse or neglect. |
Pending |
|
Connecticut |
CT HB 6400 |
Adds to the list of mandatory reporters any coach or director of intramural or interscholastic athletics at a school who is eighteen years of age or older, any coach or director of youth athletics who is eighteen years of age or older, any coach or director of a private sports organization or team who is eighteen years of age or older, any administrator, faculty, staff, athletic director, athletic coach or athletic trainer employed by a constituent unit of the state system of higher education or private institution of higher education who is eighteen years of age or older. |
Pending |
|
Connecticut |
CT SB 441 |
Requires institutions of higher education to report instances of child abuse and subjects an institution of higher education to a civil penalty for failure to report an instance of child abuse. |
Failed |
|
Connecticut |
CT SB 821 |
Prohibits employers from hindering or preventing any employee from making a report of child abuse or neglect, or from testifying in any proceeding involving child abuse or neglect. |
Pending |
|
Florida |
FL HB 757 |
Creates an exception to the mandatory reporting guidelines that an officer or employee of a law enforcement agency is not required to provide notice to the Hotline when the incident under investigation by the agency was originally reported to law enforcement by the Hotline through the electronic transfer of the report or call. |
Failed |
|
Florida |
FL SB 1162 |
Creates an exception to the mandatory reporting guidelines that an officer or employee of a law enforcement agency is not required to provide notice to the Hotline when the incident under investigation by the agency was originally reported to law enforcement by the Hotline through the electronic transfer of the report or call. |
Failed |
|
Florida |
FL HB 7129 |
Creates two exceptions to the requirement that any person who knows, or has reasonable cause to suspect that a child is abused by an adult other than a parent, legal custodian, caregiver, or other person responsible for the child’s welfare report such knowledge or suspicion to the hotline: (1) An officer or employee of a law enforcement agency is not required to provide notice to the hotline when an incident of suspected child abuse by an adult other than a parent, legal custodian or other person responsible for the child’s welfare under investigation by law enforcement was originally reported to law enforcement by the hotline through electronic transfer; and (2) The central abuse hotline is not required to electronically transfer calls and reports to the county sheriff’s office if the incident of alleged child abuse by an adult other than a parent, legal custodian or other person responsible for the child’s welfare was originally reported to the hotline by the county sheriff’s office or another law enforcement agency. |
To Governor |
|
Georgia |
GA HB 78 |
Adds physician assistants as mandatory reporters. |
Enacted |
|
Illinois |
IL HB 2215 |
Changes the criminal penalties for persons who knowingly and willfully violate certain reporting requirements and provisions concerning privileged communications. Provides that a first violation is a Class 4 felony (rather than a Class A misdemeanor) and a second or subsequent violation is a Class 3 felony (rather than a Class 4 felony), except that if the person acted as part of a plan or scheme having as its object the prevention of discovery of an abused or neglected child by lawful authorities for the purpose of protecting or insulating any person or entity from arrest or prosecution, a first violation is a Class 3 felony (rather than a Class 4 felony) and a second or subsequent violation is a Class 2 felony (rather than a Class 3 felony). |
Pending |
|
Illinois |
IL HB 2245 |
Provides that upon employment and at least once every 5 years thereafter, school personnel, including substitute teachers, who work directly with students must complete mandated reporter training provided by an individual or agency with expertise in recognizing and reporting child abuse. |
Pending |
|
Illinois |
IL HB 2797 |
Allows a mandatory reporter to request a review of the investigation whenever the Department determines that a reported incident of child abuse or neglect from a mandated reporter is unfounded. The mandated reporter may request a review of the investigation within 10 days after the notification of the final finding. A summary of the result of the investigation including whether the committee recommends that the finding be upheld or reversed, and the rationale for the determination, shall be provided to the mandated reporter within 60 days. The summary shall inform the mandated reporter that if he or she disagrees with the findings of the committee, the mandated reporter may submit a request for investigation with the Department's Office of the Inspector General. |
Pending |
|
Indiana |
IN HB 1086 |
Relates to duty to report child abuse or neglect; moves certain statutes concerning the duty to report child abuse to Title 35 of the Indiana Code governing criminal law and procedure; defines "victim of child abuse or neglect" for purposes of the duty to report child abuse. |
Failed |
|
Indiana |
IN SB 105 |
Provides that when confronted with a potential case of child abuse or neglect, any law enforcement employee, judiciary employee, medical doctor, employee of a medical doctor, or school official may contact a local office of the department of child services to report and inquire about the suspected child abuse or neglect. |
Failed |
|
Iowa |
IA SB 178 |
Specifies training requirements for mandatory reporters. Between twenty-four and thirty-six months after initial employment or self-employment, the person shall complete ninety minutes of interactive training for mandatory reporters. |
Pending |
|
Iowa |
IA SB 350 |
Requires a one-time 90-minute interactive training requirement for mandatory reporters between 24 and 36 months after initial employment or self-employment. The bill also transfers responsibility for mandatory reporting curricula to the department of public health and requires the department to review and approve trainers for a new interactive training requirement for mandatory reporters . |
Pending |
|
Kentucky |
KS HB 439 |
Allows any school district that makes a report in good faith may at any time request a status report of any investigation or determination that has occurred as a result of the district's good faith-report. |
Failed |
|
Kansas |
KS SB 159 |
Clarifies that reports shall be made to the Kansas department for children and families and the appropriate law enforcement agency. When the Kansas department for children and families is not open for business, a report shall be made to the Kansas department for children and families on the next day that the department is open for business. |
Pending |
|
Louisiana |
LA HB 557 |
Establishes training for all mandatory reporters to familiarize these reporters with their legal mandate for reporting suspected child abuse and neglect. Requires the training be made available by the child welfare division of the Dept. of Children and Family Services or any other mechanism as approved by the department as long as it includes information on the reporting procedure and consequences of failing to report. Specifies that all mandatory reporters are responsible for periodically obtaining mandated reporter training. |
Pending |
|
Maine |
ME SB 349 |
Requires the Department of Health and Human Services to make a report, which may include confidential child protection information, to the licensing board of a professional who appears to have violated the mandatory reporting law. The licensing board and licensee are required to keep the information confidential, and its use in a disciplinary proceeding would be governed by the existing procedures. |
Pending |
|
Maine |
ME HB 1094 |
Adds specific categories of injury for which mandatory reporting of child abuse or neglect is required for children who are under 6 months of age or otherwise nonambulatory. Makes any failure to report by a mandated reporter a Class E crime. Requires a person in the professional categories required to report suspected child abuse or neglect to have completed mandated reporter training within the previous 5 years before a professional license or certification may be issued or renewed. Permits the Commissioner of Health and Human Services to revoke the license of a youth camp if an officer or agent of the camp fails to make a required report. |
Pending |
|
Maryland |
MD SB 94 |
Expands immunity from civil liability or criminal penalty to a person who provides notice of child abuse or neglect to the appropriate authorities. Makes it a misdemeanor for a certain person to knowingly and willfully fail to file a report of abuse under certain circumstances. Establishes the Task Force to Study Training for School Employees and Volunteers on the Prevention, Identification, and Reporting of Child Sexual Abuse. |
Pending |
|
Maryland |
MD SB 534 |
Prohibits an individual from preventing or interfering with the making of a specified report of suspected child abuse or neglect; makes a violation of the Act a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment not exceeding 5 years or a fine not exceeding $10,000 or both. |
Pending |
|
Maryland |
MD HB 631 |
Prohibits an individual from preventing or interfering with the making of a specified report of suspected child abuse or neglect; makes a violation of the Act a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment not exceeding 5 years or a fine not exceeding $10,000 or both. |
Enacted |
|
Maryland |
MD HB 876 |
Authorizes the Attorney General to institute a civil action against mandatory reporters acting in a professional capacity who fail to report child abuse or neglect when the child communicates directly with the person about the child abuse or when the abuse was observed; the civil penalty may not exceed $100,000. |
Failed |
|
Massachusetts |
MA HB 1295 |
Adds to the types of abuse a mandatory reporter must report: sexual exploitation and human trafficking. |
Pending |
|
Massachusetts |
MA HB 1345 |
Changes the punishment for failure to report from a maximum one thousand dollar fine to twenty-five thousand dollars or by imprisonment in the House of Corrections for not more than two and one half years, or both such fine and imprisonment. |
Pending |
|
Massachusetts |
MA HB 1454 |
Requires any person or persons who resides in Massachusetts, and is over 18 years or age, who witnesses or witnesses signs of child abuse, including sexual abuse to immediately report the abuse to the local or state police. Specifies reporters shall report abuse both to the Department and to the police. Changes the punishment for failure to report from a maximum fine of $1000 to a fine of not less than (i) $1,000 and not more than $5,000 for the first offense, and (ii), a fine of not less than $5,000 and not more than $10,000. |
Pending |
|
Massachusetts |
MA SB 36 |
Specifies that in addition to making a report to the Department, when a mandated reporter who, in his or her professional capacity, has reasonable cause to believe that a child is suffering physical or emotional injury resulting from abuse inflicted upon him which causes harm or substantial risk of harm to the child's health or welfare, including sexual abuse shall immediately communicate such condition to the state or local police. |
Pending |
|
Massachusetts |
MA SB 40 |
Physician, medical interns, or hospital personnel engaged in the examination, care or treatment of children, who are mandatory reporters, shall not be held liable in any civil or criminal action by reason of such report if it was made in good faith; and that the reporter is not the perpetrator of the abuse. Prohibits employers of mandatory reporters from discriminating or retaliating against any person who in good faith makes such a report, testifies or is about to testify in any proceeding involving child abuse or neglect. An employer, who discharges, discriminates or retaliates against such a person shall be liable to such person for treble damages, costs and attorney's fees. |
Pending |
|
Michigan |
MI HB 4199 |
Expands mandatory reporting requirements for child abuse or child neglect to include coaches and school volunteers. |
Pending |
|
Michigan |
MI HB 4493 |
Expands school employees to include all persons employed in public or nonpublic schools; includes in references to "clergy" any individual who holds himself or herself out as a member of the clergy |
Pending |
|
Minnesota |
MN HB 739 |
Permits the local welfare agency, police department, or county sheriff to accept a report even though a voluntary reporter refuses to provide the reporter's name or address as long as the report is otherwise sufficient. Clarifies that a report can be either written or oral. |
Pending |
|
Minnesota |
MN SB 460 |
Permits the local welfare agency, police department, or county sheriff to accept a report even though a voluntary reporter refuses to provide the reporter's name or address as long as the report is otherwise sufficient. Clarifies that a report can be either written or oral. |
Pending |
|
Missouri |
MO SB 113 |
Requires any person eighteen years of age or older who observes a child being subjected to sexual abuse shall immediately report to the division or to any law enforcement agency. |
Pending |
|
Missouri |
MO HB 505 |
Specifies if two or more members of a medical institution who are required to report jointly have knowledge of a known or suspected instance of child abuse or neglect, a single report may be made by a member of that team. Any member who has knowledge that the member designated to report has failed to do so shall thereafter immediately make the report. |
Pending |
|
Mississippi |
MS HB 237 |
Clarifies that mandatory reporters have the duty to report any abuse or neglect of a child. |
Pending |
|
Montana |
MT D 308 |
Authorizes the department, upon request from any reporter of alleged child abuse or neglect, to verify whether the report has been received, describe the level of response and timeframe for action that the department has assigned to the report, and confirm that it is being acted upon. |
Failed |
|
Montana |
MT D 313 |
Authorizes the department, when a professional or official required to report makes a report, to share information with that professional or official regarding: (a) whether an investigation into the report occurred or will occur; (b) the timeframe in which the investigation occurred or will occur; and (c) information about the investigation, limited to its outcome, the factual basis for the outcome, and any subsequent action that will be taken on behalf of the child who is the subject of the report. |
Failed |
|
Montana |
MT HB 131 |
Authorizes the department, on the request of professional, official, or other individuals working with the professional or official who have made a report, to verify (I) whether an investigation into the report occurred or will occur; (II) the timeframe in which the investigation occurred or will occur; and, (III) information about the investigation, limited to its outcome, the factual basis for the outcome, and any subsequent action that will be taken on behalf of the child who is the subject of the report. Individuals who receive information pursuant to this subsection shall maintain the confidentiality of the information. |
Enacted |
|
Montana |
MT SB 65 |
Authorizes the department, upon request from any reporter of alleged child abuse or neglect, to verify whether the report has been received, describe the level of response and timeframe for action that the department has assigned to the report, and confirm that it is being acted upon. |
Enacted |
|
Nevada |
NV AB 155 |
Requires that mandatory reporters must be informed, by a licensing agency or employer, in writing or by electronic communication of their duty as mandatory reporters and be provided with a written acknowledgment or an electronic record of having been informed. Specifies an attorney is not required to report the abuse or neglect of a child if the attorney acquired the knowledge of the abuse or neglect from a client who is the victim of the abuse or neglect and who is in foster care, except that the attorney may report the abuse or neglect with the consent of the child. Provides that a first violation of the duty to report is punishable as a misdemeanor, and any subsequent violation is punishable as a gross misdemeanor. |
Pending |
|
New Mexico |
NM HB 86 |
Adds leaders of youth clubs, organizations and teams to the list of those required to report child abuse and neglect. Includes a child who has suffered sexual abuse or sexual exploitation inflicted by any person to the definition of abused child. |
Pending |
|
New Mexico |
NM SB 411 |
Requires every person, including a licensed physician; a medical resident or an intern; a law enforcement officer; a judge presiding during a proceeding; a registered nurse; a visiting nurse; a school official; a social worker acting in an official capacity; or a member of the clergy who has information that is not privileged as a matter of law, who knows or has a reasonable suspicion that a child has been abandoned or abused as provided in this section shall report the matter immediately to: (1) a local law enforcement agency; (2) the children, youth and families department if the abandonment or abuse is perpetrated by a parent, guardian or custodian; or (3) a tribal law enforcement or social services agency if the report relates to an Indian child residing in Indian country. |
Pending |
|
New York |
NY AB 421 |
Adds school athletic director, school personnel or other person required to hold a temporary coaching license or professional coaching certificate to the list of those required to report cases of suspected child abuse. |
Pending |
|
New York |
NY AB 2287 |
Requires certain persons and officials, teachers, superintendents and certain professionals to complete training in reporting cases of suspected child abuse. |
Pending |
|
New York |
NY AB 3526 |
Adds members of the clergy to the list of mandated reporters. Provides an exception for allegations learned through confidential communications to clergy that are privileged, but this exception does not prevent reporting of information obtained by clergy in a non-confidential communication and does not exempt a member of the clergy from any legal requirements to prevent further abuse. |
Pending |
|
New York |
NY AB 4470 |
Establishes acupuncturists as mandatory reporters of suspected cases of child abuse and maltreatment. |
Pending |
|
New York |
NY AB 4662 |
Adds to the list of mandatory reporters certain individuals in a higher education setting including: any employee or volunteer, administrators, professors, sports coaches, or athletic directors of a college. Requires the report to be made to both the law enforcement and to the president who has oversight of the higher educational setting. Any person who reasonably and in good faith makes a report of allegations of child sexual abuse in a higher educational setting as required shall have immunity from civil liability. Makes the failure to report for higher education employees and volunteers a class A misdemeanor. Requires the educational institution to give notice to employees and volunteers required to report of that duty; provide policies and procedures to employees and volunteers; and provide training. |
Pending |
|
New York |
NY AB 5191 |
Require that all reports of physical or sexual abuse of a child with developmental, mental or physical disabilities that have been reported to any abuse hotline be forwarded on to the local law enforcement, as well as the local district attorney's office. |
Pending |
|
New York |
NY AB 6200 |
Makes failure to report child abuse a class E felony when a person is guilty of failure to report child abuse when he or she fails to report to a police officer or law enforcement agency, as soon as he or she is physically able. |
Pending |
|
New York |
NY AB 6330 |
Adds college coaches, athletic directors, professors, graduate assistants, college administrators and college presidents and paid staff members of children's camps, summer day camps and travel camps to the list of mandatory reporters of child abuse and maltreatment. |
Pending |
|
New York |
NY SB 824 |
Adds a member of the clergy to the list of those required to report cases of suspected child abuse. |
Pending |
|
New York |
NY SB 1346 |
Adds college coaches, athletic directors, professors, graduate assistants, college administrators and college presidents and paid staff members of children's camps, summer day camps and travel camps to the list of mandatory reporters of child abuse and maltreatment. |
Pending |
|
New York |
NY SB 1404 |
Requires certain persons and officials, teachers, superintendents and certain professionals to complete training in reporting cases of suspected child abuse. |
Pending |
|
New York |
NY SB 3347 |
Provides medical professionals who are covered under the mandatory child abuse reporting law receive two (2) hours of coursework or training regarding the identification and reporting of child abuse and maltreatment. |
Pending |
|
New York |
NY SB 4164 |
A person is guilty of failure to report child abuse when, being eighteen years of age or older, he or she fails to report to a police officer or law enforcement agency, as soon as he or she is physically able, the commission of any crime defined in this chapter against a child under the age of sixteen years, and such person witnesses the commission of such crime and has reason to know that he or she is witnessing a crime. |
Pending |
|
Oklahoma |
OK HB 1785 |
Deletes the mandatory reporting requirement for any person; deletes certain exception to mandatory reporting requirement; deletes mandatory reporting requirement for certain health care professionals; provides for optional reporting; removes punishment for failure to report abuse or neglect. |
Pending |
|
Oklahoma |
OK SB 434 |
Permits a criminal investigation of any person with prolonged knowledge of ongoing child abuse or neglect who knowingly and willfully fails to promptly report such knowledge. If convicted, this constitutes a felony. "Prolonged knowledge" is knowledge of at least six (6) months of child abuse or neglect. |
Pending |
|
Oregon |
OR HB 3218 |
Exempts employee of higher education institution who is performing research in child abuse and neglect, human trafficking or underage prostitution from mandatory child abuse report law unless employee reasonably believes child is at imminent risk of harm. |
Pending |
|
Pennsylvania |
PA HB 429 |
Specifies any person may make a report of suspected child abuse if that person has reasonable cause to suspect that a child is an abused child. Any person who makes a report in good faith and as a result is terminated from their employment or discriminated against in any way may file an action in court for relief. |
Pending |
|
Pennsylvania |
PA HB 430 |
Changes the procedure for mandatory reporters. A mandatory reporter shall make a report immediately to the department by telephone or advanced communication technologies. Oral reports should be followed up with a written report within 48 hours of the initial reporting. The report should include the names and addresses of the child, the child's parents and any other person responsible for the child's welfare; where the suspected abuse occurred; the age and sex of each subject of the report; the nature and extent of the suspected child abuse, including any evidence of prior abuse to the child or any sibling of the child; the name and relationship of each individual responsible for causing the suspected abuse and any evidence of prior abuse by each such individual; family composition; the source of the report; the person making the report and where that person can be reached; the actions taken by the person making the report; and any other information that the department requires by regulation. |
Pending |
|
Pennsylvania |
PA HB 431 |
Requires each licensing board with jurisdiction over professional licensees identified as mandated reporters to require all persons applying for a license or certification submit documentation of the completion of at least three hours of approved child abuse recognition and reporting training. Persons applying for the renewal of a license or certification must submit documentation of the completion of at least three hours of approved continuing education every five years. |
Pending |
|
Pennsylvania |
PA HB 432 |
Requires the Department to adopt regulations to require that operators of family day care homes and employees who have direct contact with children receive child abuse recognition and reporting training. Operators shall have three hours of training prior to the issuance of a registration certificate and three hours of training every five years thereafter. Employees who have direct contact with children shall receive three hours of training within ninety days of the date of hire and three hours of training every five years thereafter. |
Pending |
|
Pennsylvania |
PA HB 436 |
Revises the list of mandatory reporters to include: a person licensed to practice in any health-related field under the jurisdiction of the Department of State of the Commonwealth; a medical examiner, coroner or funeral director; a health care facility or provider licensed by the Department of Health and its employees engaged in the admission, examination, care or treatment of individuals; a school administrator, teacher, nurse, guidance counselor, coach or other school employee; a child-care services provider; a clergyman, priest, rabbi, minister, Christian Science practitioner, religious healer or spiritual leader of any regularly established church or other religious organization; an individual, paid or unpaid, who, on the basis of the individual's role as an integral part of a regularly scheduled program, activity or service, accepts responsibility for a child; a social services worker; a peace officer or law enforcement official; an attorney; a librarian at a public library; an emergency medical services provider certified by the Department of Health; any employee or independent contractor of any of the above listed persons who has direct contact with children. Permits any person to be able to make a report. Makes changes to reporting procedures. |
Pending |
|
Pennsylvania |
PA HB 673 |
Adds school staff member, school faculty, and coach to the list of mandatory reporters. Requires staff members of an institution to make a report directly to a law enforcement official and an agent for child protective services, instead of the person in charge of the institution. Changes the punishment for willfully failing to report to a felony of the third degree for the first violation and a felony of the second degree for a second or subsequent violation. |
Pending |
|
Pennsylvania |
PA HB 1045 |
Establishes a person commits a misdemeanor of the second degree if the person knowingly or intentionally makes a report of child abuse that is false or induces a child to make a false claim of child abuse. |
Pending |
|
Pennsylvania |
PA SB 21 |
Clarifies the child need not come before the person in order for the person to make a report and that the identity of the perpetrator of child abuse need not be known by the person required to make a report.
Broadens the list of persons required to report to include any person licensed to practice in any health-related field; expands school personnel to include: guidance counselor, coach or other school employee or an independent contractor of the school with direct responsibility for children; includes an individual, paid or unpaid, who, on the basis of the individual's direct responsibility for children, accepts responsibility for a child; includes an emergency medical services provider.
Encourages all persons to report child abuse.
Privileged communication between a mandated reporter and a patient or client of the mandated reporter shall not apply to a situation involving child abuse; creates limited exceptions for confidential information told to clergy or attorneys, but not spouses. |
Pending |
|
Pennsylvania |
PA SB 22 |
Makes willful failure to report or to refer by a required reporter a misdemeanor of the second degree. Makes the interference with making report or referral a misdemeanor of the first degree. Makes concealment of abuse to protect another a felony of the third degree.
If a person's willful failure continues while the person knows or has reasonable cause to believe the child is actively being abused, the person commits a felony of the third degree. |
Pending |
|
Pennsylvania |
PA SB 25 |
Allows for electronic submission for reporting and electronic confirmation of such reports. |
Pending |
|
Pennsylvania |
PA SB 28 |
Specifies what information a licensed medical practitioner reporting child abuse shall provide the county including: relevant medical information, information from a subsequent examination, information regarding treatment of the child and relevant medical information regarding any other child in the child's household. Parental consent is not required for the licensed medical practitioner to provide the information. |
Pending |
|
Pennsylvania |
PA SB 30 |
Establishes that the statewide central register of child abuse which shall retain indefinitely which contains the following subfiles that shall be retained indefinitely a subfile of the names of the persons who made an intentionally false report of suspected child abuse. Creates immunity from civil and criminal liability for a person, hospital, institution, school, facility, agency or agency employee acting in good faith and without actual malice for making a report of suspected child abuse or causing a report of suspected child abuse to be made. A person who intentionally makes a false report commits a misdemeanor of the second degree. |
Pending |
|
Pennsylvania |
PA SB 31 |
Requires an institution or school employee required to report to report directly to the Department, and also notify the school administrator, instead of just notifying the school administrator. |
Pending |
|
Pennsylvania |
PA SB 33 |
Establishes protection from employment discrimination for mandatory reporters or for persons encouraged to report who acted in good faith in making or causing the report of suspected child abuse to be made. |
Pending |
|
South Carolina |
SC HB 3024 |
Requires any person in this state who has received information which gives the person reason to believe that a child has been or may be abused or neglected to report the abuse or neglect. |
Pending |
|
South Carolina |
SC HB 3124 |
Prohibits an employer from dismissing, demoting, suspending or disciplining an employee who reports child abuse or neglect, whether required or permitted to report; creates a cause of action for reinstatement and back pay which an employee may bring against an employer who violates this prohibition. |
Pending |
|
South Carolina |
SC HB 3371 |
Requires that a person required to report must make the report within twenty-four hours or the next working day after receiving the information that gives the person reason to believe that a child has been or may be abused or neglected. |
Pending |
|
Tennessee |
TN HB 1048 |
Revokes or denies the public charter school agreement if an employee of the charter school fails to report child abuse, neglect or sexual abuse when a charter school employee has knowledge or reasonable cause to believe the child is a victim. |
Failed |
|
Tennessee |
TN HB 1083 |
Permits the chartering authority to revoke or non-renew a charter school's charter, if an employee fails to report child abuse. Requires charter schools to provide information or training to employees on mandatory reporting of child abuse. |
Failed |
|
Tennessee |
TN SB 682 |
Revokes or denies the public charter school agreement if an employee of the charter school fails to report child abuse, neglect or sexual abuse when a charter school employee has knowledge or reasonable cause to believe the child is a victim. |
Failed |
|
Tennessee |
TN SB 1366 |
Permits the chartering authority to revoke or non-renew a charter school's charter, if an employee fails to report child abuse. Requires charter schools to provide information or training to employees on mandatory reporting of child abuse. |
Failed |
|
Texas |
TX HB 135 |
Requires annual training for school district employees in recognition of child abuse and neglect and the reporting procedure for same. |
Pending |
|
Texas |
TX HB 443 |
Creates a civil penalty for certain public and private institutions of higher education for failure by an administrator to report child abuse or neglect. |
Pending |
|
Texas |
TX HB 747 |
Adds employees of institutions of higher education or a private or independent institution of higher education to the list of mandatory reporters. |
Pending |
|
Texas |
TX HB 1205 |
Makes the penalty for a professional who knowingly fails to make a report a Class A misdemeanor, except that the offense is a state jail felony if it is shown on the trial of the offense that the actor intended to conceal the abuse or neglect. |
Pending |
|
Texas |
TX HB 2495 |
Requires each school district, open-enrollment charter school, and higher education employee to report child abuse or neglect. Each school’s reporting policy may not permit or require an employee to report child abuse or neglect to the employee's supervisor before the employee makes the report to the Department. Each institution of higher education shall also adopt a policy governing the reporting of child abuse and neglect for the institution and its employees. Training must be provided to orientation, to all new school district and open-enrollment charter school employees and to existing district and open-enrollment charter school employees until all district and open-enrollment charter school employees have taken the training. Each institution of higher education shall provide training for employees who are professionals in recognizing and preventing sexual abuse and other maltreatment of children and the responsibility and procedure of reporting suspected occurrences of sexual abuse and other maltreatment. |
Pending |
|
Texas |
TX HB 3400 |
Requires the development of a system that allows a professional to make an anonymous report of suspected child abuse or neglect. The reporting system must provide the professional with a unique number or other identifier that the professional can use as verification of the professional ’s report. |
Pending |
|
Texas |
TX HB 3403 |
Each school district must develop a policy which requires each school district employee to report suspected child abuse or neglect. Each school district shall adopt and distribute the written internal policy. Each school district may provide annual training for district employees and coaches in the recognition of signs of child abuse and neglect and the responsibility and procedure for reporting suspected child abuse and neglect. A professional may not delegate to or rely on another person to make the report or make the report only to a supervisor or administrator in the professional's organization. A teacher is not required to report sexual conduct between students that might constitute an offense if the teacher believes that: neither student is more than three years older than the other student; the sexual conduct is consensual; and at the time of the conduct: neither student is required register for life as a sex offender; and neither student is a person who had a reportable conviction or adjudication for an offense. |
Pending |
|
Texas |
TX SB 384 |
Makes it a class A misdemeanor for a person listed as a mandatory reporter to fail to make a report. |
Pending |
|
Texas |
TX SB 939 |
Requires each school district, open-enrollment charter school, and higher education employee to report child abuse or neglect. Each school’s reporting policy may not permit or require an employee to report child abuse or neglect to the employee's supervisor before the employee makes the report to the Department. Each institution of higher education shall also adopt a policy governing the reporting of child abuse and neglect for the institution and its employees. Training must be provided to orientation, to all new school district and open-enrollment charter school employees and to existing district and open-enrollment charter school employees until all district and open-enrollment charter school employees have taken the training. Each institution of higher education shall provide training for employees who are professionals in recognizing and preventing sexual abuse and other maltreatment of children and the responsibility and procedure of reporting suspected occurrences of sexual abuse and other maltreatment. |
Pending |
|
Vermont |
VT HB 430 |
Add persons responsible for providing child abuse education in a school to the list of mandatory reporters. |
Pending |
|
Washington |
WA SB 5359 |
Clarifies that any person, in his or her official supervisory capacity with a nonprofit or for-profit organization, has reasonable cause to believe that a child has suffered abuse or neglect caused by a person over whom he or she regularly exercises supervisory authority, he or she shall report such incident. Specifically defines organization to include: a sole proprietor, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, trust, association, financial institution, governmental entity, other than the federal government, and any other individual or group engaged in a trade, occupation, enterprise, governmental function, charitable function, or similar activity in this state whether or not the entity is operated as a nonprofit or for-profit entity. |
To Governor |
|
Wisconsin |
WI SB 18 |
Adds probation agents, parole agents and volunteers, and contractors of an institution of higher education, to the list of professionals who are mandated to report suspected abuse or neglect. Adds school employees, volunteers and contractors who work directly with children for at least 40 hours in a school year to the definition of those persons required to report suspected child abuse or neglect. Exempts from the obligation to report: 1) school board members; 2) children; and 3) students who have not yet graduated from high school. Creates a training requirement for mandated reporters for: child care center licensees; certain employees of child care centers, group homes, and residential care centers for children and youth; teachers; school administrators and school district administrators; law enforcement officers; emergency medical technicians; first responders; substance abuse counselors; registered nurses; chiropractors; dentists; physicians; physician assistants; physical therapists; physical therapist assistants; dietitians; occupational therapists; optometrists; acupuncturists; psychologists; private practice school psychologists; social workers; marriage and family therapists; professional counselors; speech-language pathologists; audiologists; family court mediators; and, probation and parole officers. |
Pending |
|
Wyoming |
WY HB 8 |
Requires any mandated reporter who knowingly fails to report is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than one (1) year, a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00), or both. |
Failed |
|
Wyoming |
WY SB 101 |
Requires any mandated reporter who knowingly fails to report is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than one (1) year, a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00), or both. |
Pending |