BILL NUMBER: AB 1707	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  AUGUST 21, 2012
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 13, 2012

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Ammiano

                        FEBRUARY 15, 2012

   An act to amend Sections 11169 and 11170 of the Penal Code,
relating to the Child Abuse Central Index.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1707, as amended, Ammiano. Child Abuse Central Index. 
   (1) Existing 
    Existing  law designates certain individuals, such as
teachers, peace officers, physicians, and clergy members, among
others, as mandated reporters and requires them to report suspected
child abuse or neglect to certain specified agencies whenever the
mandated reporter, in his or her professional capacity or within the
scope of his or her employment, has knowledge of or observes a child
whom the mandated reporter knows or reasonably suspects has been the
victim of child abuse or neglect. Existing law requires agencies
receiving reports from mandated reporters to forward a report to the
Department of Justice in writing of every case it investigates of
known or suspected child abuse or severe neglect that is determined
to be substantiated. Existing law requires  an agency
receiving reports from mandated reporters to notify, in writing, the
known or suspected child abuser that he or she has been reported to
the Child Abuse Central Index (CACI) whenever that agency forwards a
report in writing to the Department of Justice.   the
Department of Justice to act as a repository of reports of suspected
child abuse and severe neglect to be maintained in the Child Abuse
Central Index (CACI).  
   This bill would, if the known or suspected child abuser is either
a minor or a nonminor dependant under the jurisdiction of the
juvenile court, require the agency to additionally notify the minor's
attorney, if any. Because this bill would require a local agency to
provide additional notification, it would impose a state-mandated
local program.  
   (2) Existing 
    Existing  law requires the removal of the listing of any
person in the CACI who has reached 100 years of age.
   This bill would additionally require the removal, 10 years from
the date of the incident resulting in the CACI listing, of any person
listed in the CACI as of January 1, 2013, who was listed prior to
reaching 18 years of age if the person is listed only once in the
CACI with no subsequent listings.
    (3)     Existing law
requires the Department of Justice to act as a repository of reports
of suspected child abuse and severe neglect to be maintained in the
CACI.  Existing law requires that only information from
reports that are reported as substantiated shall be  filed
  maintained in the CACI  , and requires all other
determinations to be removed from the central list.
   This bill would require the information to be deleted from the
CACI 10 years from the date of the incident resulting in the CACI
listing if a person listed in the CACI was under 18 years of age at
the time of the report and if no subsequent report concerning the
same person is received during the 10-year period. 
   (4) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse
local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.  
   This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates
determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state,
reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these
statutory provisions. 
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program:  yes   no  .


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 11169 of the Penal Code is amended to read:
   11169.  (a) An agency specified in Section 11165.9 shall forward
to the Department of Justice a report in writing of every case it
investigates of known or suspected child abuse or severe neglect that
is determined to be substantiated, other than cases coming within
subdivision (b) of Section 11165.2. An agency shall not forward a
report to the Department of Justice unless it has conducted an active
investigation and determined that the report is substantiated, as
defined in Section 11165.12. If a report has previously been filed
which subsequently proves to be not substantiated, the Department of
Justice shall be notified in writing of that fact and shall not
retain the report. The reports required by this section shall be in a
form approved by the Department of Justice and may be sent by fax or
electronic transmission. An agency specified in Section 11165.9
receiving a written report from another agency specified in Section
11165.9 shall not send that report to the Department of Justice.
   (b) On and after January 1, 2012, a police department or sheriff's
department specified in Section 11165.9 shall no longer forward to
the Department of Justice a report in writing of any case it
investigates of known or suspected child abuse or severe neglect.
   (c) At the time an agency specified in Section 11165.9 forwards a
report in writing to the Department of Justice pursuant to
subdivision (a), the agency shall also notify in writing the known or
suspected child abuser that he or she has been reported to the Child
Abuse Central Index (CACI).  If the known or suspected child
abuser is either a minor or a nonminor dependant under the
jurisdiction of the juvenile court, the agency shall notify the minor'
s attorney, if any.  The notice required by this section
shall be in a form approved by the Department of Justice. The
requirements of this subdivision shall apply with respect to reports
forwarded to the department on or after the date on which this
subdivision becomes operative.
   (d) Subject to subdivision (e), any person who is listed on the
CACI has the right to a hearing before the agency that requested his
or her inclusion in the CACI to challenge his or her listing on the
CACI. The hearing shall satisfy due process requirements. It is the
intent of the Legislature that the hearing provided for by this
subdivision shall not be construed to be inconsistent with hearing
proceedings available to persons who have been listed on the CACI
prior to the enactment of the act that added this subdivision.
   (e) A hearing requested pursuant to subdivision (d) shall be
denied when a court of competent jurisdiction has determined that
suspected child abuse or neglect has occurred, or when the allegation
of child abuse or neglect resulting in the referral to the CACI is
pending before the court. A person who is listed on the CACI and has
been denied a hearing pursuant to this subdivision has a right to a
hearing pursuant to subdivision (d) only if the court's jurisdiction
has terminated, the court has not made a finding concerning whether
the suspected child abuse or neglect was substantiated, and a hearing
has not previously been provided to the listed person pursuant to
subdivision (d).
   (f) Any person listed in the CACI who has reached 100 years of age
shall have his or her listing removed from the CACI.
   (g) Any person listed in the CACI as of January 1, 2013, who was
listed prior to reaching 18 years of age, and who is listed once in
CACI with no subsequent listings, shall be removed from the CACI 10
years from the date of the incident resulting in the CACI listing.
   (h) If, after a hearing pursuant to subdivision (d) or a court
proceeding described in subdivision (e), it is determined the person'
s CACI listing was based on a report that was not substantiated, the
agency shall notify the Department of Justice of that result and the
department shall remove that person's name from the CACI.
   (i) Agencies, including police departments and sheriff's
departments, shall retain child abuse or neglect investigative
reports that result or resulted in a report filed with the Department
of Justice pursuant to subdivision (a) for the same period of time
that the information is required to be maintained on the CACI
pursuant to this section and subdivision (a) of Section 11170.
Nothing in this section precludes an agency from retaining the
reports for a longer period of time if required by law.
   (j) The immunity provisions of Section 11172 shall not apply to
the submission of a report by an agency pursuant to this section.
However, nothing in this section shall be construed to alter or
diminish any other immunity provisions of state or federal law.
  SEC. 2.  Section 11170 of the Penal Code is amended to read:
   11170.  (a) (1) The Department of Justice shall maintain an index
of all reports of child abuse and severe neglect submitted pursuant
to Section 11169. The index shall be continually updated by the
department and shall not contain any reports that are determined to
be not substantiated. The department may adopt rules governing
recordkeeping and reporting pursuant to this article.
   (2) The department shall act only as a repository of reports of
suspected child abuse and severe neglect to be maintained in the
Child Abuse Central Index (CACI) pursuant to paragraph (1). The
submitting agencies are responsible for the accuracy, completeness,
and retention of the reports described in this section. The
department shall be responsible for ensuring that the CACI accurately
reflects the report it receives from the submitting agency.
   (3) Only information from reports that are reported as
substantiated shall be filed pursuant to paragraph (1), and all other
determinations shall be removed from the central list. If a person
listed in the CACI was under 18 years of age at the time of the
report, the information shall be deleted from the CACI 10 years from
the date of the incident resulting in the CACI listing, if no
subsequent report concerning the same person is received during that
time period.
   (b) The provisions of subdivision (c) of Section 11169 apply to
any information provided pursuant to this subdivision.
   (1) The Department of Justice shall immediately notify an agency
that submits a report pursuant to Section 11169, or a prosecutor who
requests notification, of any information maintained pursuant to
subdivision (a) that is relevant to the known or suspected instance
of child abuse or severe neglect reported by the agency. The agency
shall make that information available to the reporting health care
practitioner who is treating a person reported as a possible victim
of known or suspected child abuse. The agency shall make that
information available to the reporting child custodian, Child Abuse
Prevention and Treatment Act guardian ad litem appointed under Rule
5.662 of the California Rules of Court, or counsel appointed under
Section 317 or 318 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, or the
appropriate licensing agency, if he or she or the licensing agency is
handling or investigating a case of known or suspected child abuse
or severe neglect.
   (2) When a report is made pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section
11166, or Section 11166.05, the investigating agency, upon completion
of the investigation or after there has been a final disposition in
the matter, shall inform the person required or authorized to report
of the results of the investigation and of any action the agency is
taking with regard to the child or family.
   (3) The Department of Justice shall make relevant information from
the CACI available to a law enforcement agency, county welfare
department, or county probation department that is conducting a child
abuse investigation.
   (4) The department shall make available to the State Department of
Social Services, or to any county licensing agency that has
contracted with the state for the performance of licensing duties, or
to a tribal court or tribal child welfare agency of a tribe or
consortium of tribes that has entered into an agreement with the
state pursuant to Section 10553.1 of the Welfare and Institutions
Code, or to any county child welfare services agency for the
performance of its duties in approving THP-Plus Foster Care providers
pursuant to Section 11403.25 of the Welfare and Institutions Code,
information regarding a known or suspected child abuser maintained
pursuant to this section and subdivision (a) of Section 11169
concerning any person who is an applicant for licensure or approval,
or any adult who resides or is employed in the home of an applicant
for licensure or approval, or who is an applicant for employment in a
position having supervisorial or disciplinary power over a child or
children, or who will provide 24-hour care for a child or children in
a residential home or facility, pursuant to Section 1522.1 or
1596.877 of the Health and Safety Code, or Section 8714, 8802, 8912,
or 9000 of the Family Code, or Section 11403.2 of the Welfare and
Institutions Code.
   (5) The Department of Justice shall make available to a Court
Appointed Special Advocate program that is conducting a background
investigation of an applicant seeking employment with the program or
a volunteer position as a Court Appointed Special Advocate, as
defined in Section 101 of the Welfare and Institutions Code,
information contained in the index regarding known or suspected child
abuse by the applicant.
   (6) For purposes of child death review, the Department of Justice
shall make available to the chairperson, or the chairperson's
designee, for each county child death review team, or the State Child
Death Review Council, information for investigative purposes only
that is maintained in the CACI pursuant to subdivision (a) relating
to the death of one or more children and any prior child abuse or
neglect investigation reports maintained involving the same victims,
siblings, or suspects. Local child death review teams may share any
relevant information regarding case reviews involving child death
with other child death review teams.
   (7) The department shall make available to investigative agencies
or probation officers, or court investigators acting pursuant to
Section 1513 of the Probate Code, responsible for placing children or
assessing the possible placement of children pursuant to Article 6
(commencing with Section 300), Article 7 (commencing with Section
305), Article 10 (commencing with Section 360), or Article 14
(commencing with Section 601) of Chapter 2 of Part 1 of Division 2 of
the Welfare and Institutions Code, or Article 2 (commencing with
Section 1510) or Article 3 (commencing with Section 1540) of Chapter
1 of Part 2 of Division 4 of the Probate Code, information regarding
a known or suspected child abuser contained in the index concerning
any adult residing in the home where the child may be placed, when
this information is requested for purposes of ensuring that the
placement is in the best interest of the child. Upon receipt of
relevant information concerning child abuse or neglect investigation
reports contained in the CACI from the Department of Justice pursuant
to this subdivision, the agency or court investigator shall notify,
in writing, the person listed in the CACI that he or she is in the
index. The notification shall include the name of the reporting
agency and the date of the report.
   (8) The Department of Justice shall make available to a government
agency conducting a background investigation pursuant to Section
1031 of the Government Code of an applicant seeking employment as a
peace officer, as defined in Section 830, information regarding a
known or suspected child abuser maintained pursuant to this section
concerning the applicant.
   (9) The Department of Justice shall make available to a county
child welfare agency or delegated county adoption agency, as defined
in Section 8515 of the Family Code, conducting a background
investigation, or a government agency conducting a background
investigation on behalf of one of those agencies, information
regarding a known or suspected child abuser maintained pursuant to
this section and subdivision (a) of Section 11169 concerning any
applicant seeking employment or volunteer status with the agency who,
in the course of his or her employment or volunteer work, will have
direct contact with children who are alleged to have been, are at
risk of, or have suffered, abuse or neglect.
   (10) (A) Persons or agencies, as specified in subdivision (b), if
investigating a case of known or suspected child abuse or neglect, or
the State Department of Social Services or any county licensing
agency pursuant to paragraph (4), or a Court Appointed Special
Advocate (CASA) program conducting a background investigation for
employment or volunteer candidates pursuant to paragraph (5), or an
investigative agency, probation officer, or court investigator
responsible for placing children or assessing the possible placement
of children pursuant to paragraph (7), or a government agency
conducting a background investigation of an applicant seeking
employment as a peace officer pursuant to paragraph (8), or a county
child welfare agency or delegated county adoption agency conducting a
background investigation of an applicant seeking employment or
volunteer status who, in the course of his or her employment or
volunteer work, will have direct contact with children who are
alleged to have been, are at risk of, or have suffered, abuse or
neglect, pursuant to paragraph (9), to whom disclosure of any
information maintained pursuant to subdivision (a) is authorized, are
responsible for obtaining the original investigative report from the
reporting agency, and for drawing independent conclusions regarding
the quality of the evidence disclosed, and its sufficiency for making
decisions regarding investigation, prosecution, licensing, placement
of a child, employment or volunteer positions with a CASA program,
or employment as a peace officer.
   (B) If CACI information is requested by an agency for the
temporary placement of a child in an emergency situation pursuant to
Article 7 (commencing with Section 305) of Chapter 2 of Part 1 of
Division 2 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, the department is
exempt from the requirements of Section 1798.18 of the Civil Code if
compliance would cause a delay in providing an expedited response to
the agency's inquiry and if further delay in placement may be
detrimental to the child.
   (11) (A) Whenever information contained in the Department of
Justice files is furnished as the result of an application for
employment or licensing or volunteer status pursuant to paragraph
(4), (5), (8), or (9), the Department of Justice may charge the
person or entity making the request a fee. The fee shall not exceed
the reasonable costs to the department of providing the information.
The only increase shall be at a rate not to exceed the legislatively
approved cost-of-living adjustment for the department. In no case
shall the fee exceed fifteen dollars ($15).
   (B) All moneys received by the department pursuant to this section
to process trustline applications for purposes of Chapter 3.35
(commencing with Section 1596.60) of Division 2 of the Health and
Safety Code shall be deposited in a special account in the General
Fund that is hereby established and named the Department of Justice
Child Abuse Fund. Moneys in the fund shall be available, upon
appropriation by the Legislature, for expenditure by the department
to offset the costs incurred to process trustline automated child
abuse or neglect system checks pursuant to this section.
   (C) All moneys, other than those described in subparagraph (B),
received by the department pursuant to this paragraph shall be
deposited in a special account in the General Fund which is hereby
created and named the Department of Justice Sexual Habitual Offender
Fund. The funds shall be available, upon appropriation by the
Legislature, for expenditure by the department to offset the costs
incurred pursuant to Chapter 9.5 (commencing with Section 13885) and
Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 13890) of Title 6 of Part 4, and
the DNA and Forensic Identification Data Base and Data Bank Act of
1998 (Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 295) of Title 9 of Part 1),
and for maintenance and improvements to the statewide Sexual Habitual
Offender Program and the California DNA offender identification file
(CAL-DNA) authorized by Chapter 9.5 (commencing with Section 13885)
of Title 6 of Part 4 and the DNA and Forensic Identification Data
Base and Data Bank Act of 1998 (Chapter 6 (commencing with Section
295) of Title 9 of Part 1).
   (c) (1) The Department of Justice shall make available to any
agency responsible for placing children pursuant to Article 7
(commencing with Section 305) of Chapter 2 of Part 1 of Division 2 of
the Welfare and Institutions Code, upon request, relevant
information concerning child abuse or neglect reports contained in
the index, when making a placement with a responsible relative
pursuant to Sections 281.5, 305, and 361.3 of the Welfare and
Institutions Code. Upon receipt of relevant information concerning
child abuse or neglect reports contained in the index from the
Department of Justice pursuant to this subdivision, the agency shall
also notify in writing the person listed in the CACI that he or she
is in the index. The notification shall include the location of the
original investigative report and the submitting agency. The
notification shall be submitted to the person listed at the same time
that all other parties are notified of the information, and no later
than the actual judicial proceeding that determines placement.
   (2) If information is requested by an agency for the placement of
a child with a responsible relative in an emergency situation
pursuant to Article 7 (commencing with Section 305) of Chapter 2 of
Part 1 of Division 2 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, the
department is exempt from the requirements of Section 1798.18 of the
Civil Code if compliance would cause a delay in providing an
expedited response to the child protective agency's inquiry and if
further delay in placement may be detrimental to the child.
   (d) The department shall make available any information maintained
pursuant to subdivision (a) to out-of-state law enforcement agencies
conducting investigations of known or suspected child abuse or
neglect only when an agency makes the request for information in
writing and on official letterhead, or as designated by the
department, identifying the suspected abuser or victim by name and
date of birth or approximate age. The request shall be signed by the
department supervisor of the requesting law enforcement agency. The
written requests shall cite the out-of-state statute or interstate
compact provision that requires that the information contained within
these reports shall be disclosed only to law enforcement,
prosecutorial entities, or multidisciplinary investigative teams, and
shall cite the safeguards in place to prevent unlawful disclosure of
any confidential information provided by the requesting state or the
applicable interstate compact provision.
   (e) (1) The department shall make available to an out-of-state
agency, for purposes of approving a prospective foster or adoptive
parent in compliance with the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety
Act of 2006 (Public Law 109-248), information regarding a known or
suspected child abuser maintained pursuant to subdivision (a)
concerning the prospective foster or adoptive parent, and any other
adult living in the home of the prospective foster or adoptive
parent. The department shall make that information available only
when the out-of-state agency makes the request indicating that
continual compliance will be maintained with the requirement in
paragraph (20) of subdivision (a) of Section 671 of Title 42 of the
United States Code that requires the state to have in place
safeguards to prevent the unauthorized disclosure of information in
any child abuse and neglect registry maintained by the state and
prevent the information from being used for a purpose other than the
conducting of background checks in foster or adoption placement
cases.
   (2) With respect to any information provided by the department in
response to the out-of-state agency's request, the out-of-state
agency is responsible for obtaining the original investigative report
from the reporting agency, and for drawing independent conclusions
regarding the quality of the evidence disclosed and its sufficiency
for making decisions regarding the approval of prospective foster or
adoptive parents.
   (3) (A) Whenever information contained in the index is furnished
pursuant to this subdivision, the department shall charge the
out-of-state agency making the request a fee. The fee shall not
exceed the reasonable costs to the department of providing the
information. The only increase shall be at a rate not to exceed the
legislatively approved cost-of-living adjustment for the department.
In no case shall the fee exceed fifteen dollars ($15).
   (B) All moneys received by the department pursuant to this
subdivision shall be deposited in the Department of Justice Child
Abuse Fund, established under subparagraph (B) of paragraph (11) of
subdivision (b). Moneys in the fund shall be available, upon
appropriation by the Legislature, for expenditure by the department
to offset the costs incurred to process requests for information
pursuant to this subdivision.
   (f) (1) Any person may determine if he or she is listed in the
CACI by making a request in writing to the Department of Justice. The
request shall be notarized and include the person's name, address,
date of birth, and either a social security number or a California
identification number. Upon receipt of a notarized request, the
Department of Justice shall make available to the requesting person
information identifying the date of the report and the submitting
agency. The requesting person is responsible for obtaining the
investigative report from the submitting agency pursuant to paragraph
(11) of subdivision (b) of Section 11167.5.
   (2) No person or agency shall require or request another person to
furnish a copy of a record concerning himself or herself, or
notification that a record concerning himself or herself exists or
does not exist, pursuant to paragraph (1).
   (g) If a person is listed in the CACI only as a victim of child
abuse or neglect, and that person is 18 years of age or older, that
person may have his or her name removed from the index by making a
written request to the Department of Justice. The request shall be
notarized and include the person's name, address, social security
number, and date of birth. 
  SEC. 3.    If the Commission on State Mandates
determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state,
reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs
shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of
Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.