The proposed bill would amend current statutes regarding the duty to report child abuse and neglect. Under the new provisions, a person who has a duty to report and possesses direct knowledge that a minor is or has been a victim of abuse or neglect must immediately report this information to the Department of Child Safety (DCS). Additionally, the bill explicitly prohibits individuals with this reporting duty from delegating the responsibility to another person, ensuring that the report is made directly by the individual who has the knowledge.

The bill also makes conforming changes to existing language in the statute, including the removal of certain subsections and the renumbering of others. Specifically, it deletes subsection K and modifies the subsequent subsections accordingly. The bill maintains the existing penalties for violations of the reporting requirements, which include a class 1 misdemeanor for failure to report, escalating to a class 6 felony if the failure involves a reportable offense. Overall, these updates aim to strengthen the reporting process for child abuse and neglect cases.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 13-3620