Immunity from liability resulting from good faith actions under the child abuse and neglect reporting law

What it does

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

Current law requires persons in certain professions, such as school teachers and health care professionals, who have reasonable cause to suspect that a child seen in the course of their professional duties has been abused or neglected, or who have reason to believe that the child has been threatened with abuse or neglect and that abuse or neglect will occur, to report the alleged abuse or neglect to the appropriate county or state agency or a law enforcement agency (mandatory reporters). Current law allows persons who are not mandatory reporters to report suspected actual or threatened child abuse or neglect in the same manner.

Under current law, any person or institution participating in good faith in the making of such a report, conducting an investigation, ordering or taking of photographs, or ordering or performing medical examinations of a child or of an expectant mother has immunity from any liability, civil or criminal, that results by reason of the action. This bill adds that this immunity extends to persons who assist in medical examinations of a child or expectant mother and to persons who otherwise, in good faith, provide information, assistance, or consultation in connection with a report, investigation, or legal intervention.

Who's behind it

20 lawmakers are its authors⁠. 10 are Democrats and 10 are Republicans.

11 more lawmakers signed on in support⁠.