Requiring suspected drug activity on the part of a caregiver or nonclient resident of a child care provider to be reported to an immediate supervisor and to the sheriff and suspected or threatened child abuse or neglect on the part of such an individual to be reported under the child abuse and neglect reporting law and providing a penalty

What it would have done

Summary by the Legislative Reference Bureau, the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

Under current law, certain persons, such as physicians, teachers, social workers, and child care workers, who have reasonable cause to suspect that a child seen in the course of professional duties has been abused or neglected, or who have reason to believe that a child seen in the course of professional duties has been threatened with abuse or neglect and that abuse or neglect of the child will occur, must report the facts and circumstances contributing to that suspicion or belief to the county department of human services or social services (county department) or, in Milwaukee County, the Department of Children and Families (DCF) or a licensed child welfare agency under contract with DCF or to the sheriff or city, village, or town police department (child abuse and neglect reporting law). A person who makes a report under the child abuse and neglect reporting law may not be discharged from employment for doing so and is immune from any liability, civil or criminal, that may result by reason of making the report.

This bill requires an employee of DCF, a county department, an agency contracted by DCF to certify day care providers for purposes of reimbursement under the Wisconsin Works Program (contracted agency), or a school board whose job duties include performing activities relating to the licensing of day care centers by DCF, the certification of day care providers by a county department or contracted agency, or the establishment of or contracting for day care programs by a school board (employee) and who has reasonable cause to suspect that a caregiver or nonclient resident of a day care center, day care provider, or day care program (caregiver or nonclient resident) has abused or neglected a child who is in the care of the day care center, day care provider, or day care program, or who has reason to believe that a caregiver or nonclient resident has threatened such a child with abuse or neglect and that abuse or neglect of the child will occur, to report the facts and circumstances contributing to that suspicion or belief as required under the child abuse and neglect reporting law.

Who's behind it

6 senators are its authors⁠. 5 are Republicans and 1 is a Democrat.

29 more lawmakers signed on in support⁠.

What it would cost

State agencies filed a cost estimate. Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.

• Fiscal Estimate From DWD