Bill > SB432

This bill expands the list of individuals mandated to report suspected child abuse and clarifies when certain cases of suspected or threatened abuse must be referred to law enforcement. Specifically, it adds social workers, as defined by statute, to the list of mandatory reporters and includes employees of agencies who regularly interact with children or handle child welfare cases. The bill also amends the existing requirement for county departments, the state department, and contracted child welfare agencies to refer suspected or threatened abuse cases to law enforcement within 12 hours, by removing specific categories of abuse that were previously excluded from this immediate referral requirement and instead requiring these agencies to develop written policies for reporting certain types of suspected abuse and neglect to local law enforcement.