Mandatory reporting of child abuse; penalty; damages. Adds individuals associated with or employed by any public organization responsible for the care, custody, or control of children, any person employed by a public or private institution of higher education, and any other person with responsibility for the care, control, or custody of children to the list of individuals required to report suspected child abuse or neglect. The bill increases the penalty for failure of a person required to make a mandatory report of suspected child abuse or neglect from $500 for the first failure and not less than $100 nor more than $1,000 for any subsequent failures to a Class 1 misdemeanor, except that in cases involving sexual abuse or that result in serious bodily injury to or death of a child, the individual is guilty of a Class 6 felony. The bill also provides that any individual who suffers a loss as a result of the failure of a person required to make a mandatory report to make the required report shall be entitled to a civil action to recover damages, attorney fees, and court costs.
Related Issues: Criminal Justice
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