Bill > H1643

This bill establishes a child neglect registry in Massachusetts, requiring individuals found to have abused or neglected a child by family or criminal courts, or through administrative appeals or investigations outside the home, to be listed on the Massachusetts Central Registry of Child Abuse and Neglect. This registry will be used to screen prospective foster or adoptive parents and any other adults living in or having resided in the home within the past five years. The bill also categorizes offenders into three levels based on the risk of re-offense and the danger they pose to the public, with Level 1 indicating a low risk, Level 2 a moderate to high risk, and Level 3 encompassing particularly violent and heinous acts against a child. Notably, the bill includes specific provisions for withholding child support payments as a factor in determining an offender's classification, and it mandates that information regarding Level 3 offenders will be publicly accessible through the Central Registry.