The proposed bill would update current statutes by expanding the list of individuals required to report suspected abuse of minors to include school district governing board members and charter school governing body members, as well as substitute teachers. This change broadens the existing duty to report, which currently only includes school personnel. Additionally, the bill mandates that school resource officers (SROs) or school safety officers (SSOs) who receive reports of abuse must immediately notify the appropriate law enforcement agency and provide all relevant information for investigation. Moreover, the bill enhances the requirements for reporting immoral or unprofessional conduct by stipulating that certificated and noncertificated individuals, along with governing board and governing body members, must report any reasonable suspicion or allegations of such conduct to local law enforcement. It clarifies that reports made to SROs or SSOs do not satisfy the obligation to report to law enforcement or the State Board of Education (SBE). The bill also introduces definitions for terms such as "student" and "reportable offense," and makes technical changes to ensure compliance with the new provisions, ultimately aiming to improve the clarity and effectiveness of reporting procedures.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 13-3620, 15-514, 36-2281, 13-1404, 13-1405, 13-3401, 8-201, 13-3623, 13-3506, 13-3019, 13-3212, 13-3608, 13-1214
Senate Engrossed Version: 13-3620, 15-514, 36-2281, 13-1404, 13-1405, 13-3401, 8-201, 13-3623, 13-3506, 13-3019, 13-3212, 13-3608, 13-1214
House Engrossed Version: 13-3620, 15-514, 36-2281, 13-1404, 13-1405, 13-3401, 8-817, 8-201, 13-3623, 13-3506, 13-3019, 13-3212, 13-3608, 13-1214
Chaptered Version: 13-3620, 15-514, 36-2281, 13-1404, 13-1405, 13-3401, 8-817, 8-201, 13-3623, 13-3506, 13-3019, 13-3212, 13-3608, 13-1214