Bill > HB2712

This bill amends several sections of the Arizona Revised Statutes related to the duty to report. The key provisions are: 1. It clarifies that members of the clergy, Christian Science practitioners, and priests are required to report child abuse or neglect, unless the report concerns a person who does not have care, custody, or control of the minor, in which case the report should be made to a peace officer only. The exemption for confidential communications or confessions is limited to situations where the clergy member, practitioner, or priest determines there is reasonable suspicion of ongoing or future abuse or neglect. 2. It removes the requirement that a clergy member, Christian Science practitioner, or priest obtain the consent of the person making a confession before testifying about that confession in a civil action, except where the clergy member, practitioner, or priest determines the confession does not involve ongoing abuse. 3. It makes other technical and conforming changes to the statutes related to reporting requirements and procedures. The overall purpose of the bill is to expand the duty to report child abuse and neglect, particularly for members of the clergy, while also maintaining some limited exceptions for confidential communications in certain circumstances.