In the near future, I will be introducing legislation to increase the penalties associated with the crime of making false reports of child abuse.

Recently, one of my constituents has been the victim of numerous anonymous allegations of child abuse. While the reports have all been deemed “unfounded,” she has lived under the persistent strain of these false and malicious allegations. Other parents have told me they have had to alter their entire way of family life specifically to avoid repeated anonymous allegations.

Intentional harassment of a parent or guardian via false claims of child abuse can ruin the reputations, careers, and personal lives of the victims. Individuals who have been wrongfully accused often face extreme emotional distress and, in many cases, are compelled to hire an attorney to combat the allegations.

Such false reports also prove to be traumatizing for the children at the center of the allegations, who are frequently questioned by law enforcement officers and social worker and separated from the targeted parent or guardian.

Significantly, law enforcement agencies and county child protective services have limited resources and when false reports are made, valuable time and attention is diverted from the children who are actually in danger.

My bill will increase the grading of the offense from a misdemeanor of the second-degree to a misdemeanor of the first-degree. I believe this increased grading appropriately reflects the seriousness of the crime and its profound impact on victims and their children.

Please join me in cosponsoring this important legislation to better protect decent law-abiding parents in our Commonwealth from malicious abuse of our important but finite child protective service resources.
 

Statutes/Laws affected:
Printer's No. 1725 (May 14, 2025): 18-4906.1