The proposed bill amends section 13-3620 of the Arizona Revised Statutes, updating the language regarding the duty to report suspected child abuse. It retains the current requirement for individuals who believe a minor has been harmed to report to appropriate authorities, but clarifies the exemption for members of the clergy, Christian Science practitioners, and priests. Specifically, it replaces the term "communication or confession" with "confession from a penitent confessor," emphasizing that this exemption applies only to confessions and not to personal observations or other communications.

Additionally, the bill introduces a new definition for "penitent confessor," specifying the relationship between the individual and the clergy member during the confession. It also explicitly states that the exemption does not limit the duty of clergy members to report known or suspected child abuse when acting in other capacities that require reporting. Overall, these changes aim to clarify the reporting obligations while maintaining protections for religious confessions.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 13-3620