Bill > H1325

This bill proposes to increase the penalties for failing to report child abuse, a requirement mandated by Chapter 119, Section 51A of the General Laws. Currently, the penalty for such a violation is a fine of one thousand dollars, but this legislation seeks to raise that fine to twenty-five thousand dollars and also introduce the possibility of imprisonment in the House of Corrections for up to two and a half years, or both the fine and imprisonment. This change aims to strengthen the enforcement of child abuse reporting requirements by imposing more significant consequences for non-compliance.