BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �







                      SENATE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY
                            Senator Loni Hancock, Chair              S
                             2011-2012 Regular Session               B

                                                                     1
                                                                     5
                                                                     5
          SB 1551 (Vargas)                                           1
          As Amended March 29, 2012 
          Hearing date:  April 17, 2012
          Penal Code
          AA:dl

                                  CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE:

                                 REPORTING OF CRIMES

                                           
                                       HISTORY

          Source:  Author

          Prior Legislation: AB 1422 (Torlakson) - Ch. 477, Stats. 2000

          Support: Unknown

          Opposition:California District Attorneys Association; Child and 
          Family Protection Association
           


                                         KEY ISSUE
           
          SHOULD A NEW MISDEMEANOR OR FELONY BE ENACTED WHICH REQUIRES ANY 
          COMPETENT ADULT 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER TO REPORT CHILD SEXUAL 
          ABUSE WHEN THEY BECOME "AWARE OF INFORMATION OR EVIDENCE THAT WOULD 
          CAUSE A REASONABLE SUSPICION OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE," AS SPECIFIED?


                                       PURPOSE




                                                                     (More)







                                                           SB 1551 (Vargas)
                                                                      PageB


          The purpose of this bill is to enact a new crime - punishable as 
          a misdemeanor or a felony depending upon the circumstances - for 
          any competent adult 18 years of age or older to fail to report 
          within 72 hours child sexual abuse when they become "aware of 
          information or evidence that would cause a reasonable suspicion 
          of child sexual abuse," as specified.

           Current law  generally requires any person who reasonably 
          believes that he or she has observed the commission of a murder, 
          rape or forcible molestation against a child under the age of 14 
          years to notify a peace officer, as specified.  These provisions 
          do not apply to a person who is related to either the victim or 
          the offender, including a husband, wife, parent, child, brother, 
          sister, grandparent, grandchild, or other person related by 
          consanguinity or affinity; a person who fails to report based on 
          a reasonable mistake of fact; or a person who fails to report 
          based on a reasonable fear for his or her own safety or for the 
          safety of his or her family.  Violation of this provision is a 
          misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than $1,500, by 
          imprisonment in jail for not more than six months, or by both 
          that fine and imprisonment.  (Penal Code � 152.3.)
                                          
           Current law also establishes the Child Abuse and Neglect 
          Reporting Act ("CANRA"), which generally is intended to protect 
          children from abuse and neglect.  (Penal Code � 11164.)

           Current law  requires "mandated reporters" to make reports of 
          suspected child abuse or neglect, as specified.  (Penal Code � 
          11165.9.)

           Current law  provides that, except as specified, "a mandated 
          reporter shall make a report  . . . 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."  (Penal Code � 
          11166(a).)

           Current law  enumerates 40 categories of persons who are mandated 




                                                                     (More)







                                                           SB 1551 (Vargas)
                                                                      PageC

          child abuse and neglect reporters. <1>  (Penal Code � 11165.7 
          (a).)  
           This bill  would enact a new law requiring a "competent adult who 
          becomes aware of information
          or evidence that would cause a reasonable suspicion of child 
          sexual abuse . . . to report that information to state or local 
          law enforcement or to county child protective services within 72 
          hours."  

           This bill  would provide that in this context "competent adult" 
          would mean "a person who is 18 years of age or older and who has 
          no mental or developmental disabilities that would impair his or 
          her ability to make a reasoned judgment as to whether a child 
          may have been subjected to sexual abuse"; "reasonable suspicion" 
          ---------------------------
          ---------------------------
          <1>  Mandatory child abuse and neglect reporters under Penal 
          Code Section 11165.7:  (1) A teacher.  (2) An instructional 
          aide.  (3) A teacher's aide or teacher's assistant employed by 
          any public or private school.  (4) A classified employee of any 
          public school.  (5) An administrative officer or supervisor of 
          child welfare and attendance, or a certificated pupil personnel 
          employee of any public or private school.  (6) An administrator 
          of a public or private day camp.  (7) An administrator or 
          employee of a public or private youth center, youth recreation 
          program, or youth organization.  (8) An administrator or 
          employee of a public or private organization whose duties 
          require direct contact and supervision of children.  (9) Any 
          employee of a county office of education or the California 
          Department of Education, whose duties bring the employee into 
          contact with children on a regular basis.  (10) A licensee, an 
          administrator, or an employee of a licensed community care or 
          child day care facility.  (11) A Head Start program teacher.  
          (12) A licensing worker or licensing evaluator employed by a 
          licensing agency as specified.  (13) A public assistance worker. 
           (14) An employee of a child care institution, including, but 
          not limited to, foster parents, group home personnel, and 
          personnel of residential care facilities.  (15) A social worker, 
          probation officer, or parole officer.  (16) An employee of a 
          school district police or security department.  (17) Any person 
          who is an administrator or presenter of, or a counselor in, a 
          child abuse prevention program in any public or private school.  
          (18) A district attorney investigator, inspector, or local child 
          support agency caseworker unless the investigator, inspector, or 
          caseworker is working with an attorney appointed pursuant to 
          Section 317 of the Welfare and Institutions Code to represent a 
          minor.  (19) A peace officer, as specified.  (20) A firefighter, 
          except for volunteer firefighters.  (21) A physician, surgeon, 
          psychiatrist, psychologist, dentist, resident, intern, 
          podiatrist, chiropractor, licensed nurse, dental hygienist, 
          optometrist, marriage, family and child counselor, clinical 
          social worker, or any other person who is currently licensed 
          under Division 2of the Business and Professions Code.  (22) Any 
          emergency medical technician I or II, paramedic, or other person 
          certified pursuant to Division 2.5 of the Health and Safety 
          Code.  (23) A psychological assistant, as specified.  (24) A 
          marriage, family, and child therapist trainee, as specified.  
          (25) An unlicensed marriage, family, and child therapist intern, 
          as specified.  (26) A state or county public health employee who 
          treats a minor for venereal disease or any other condition.  
          (27) A coroner.  (28) A medical examiner, or any other person 
          who performs autopsies.  (29) A commercial film and photographic 
          print processor, as specified.  As used in this article, 
          "commercial film and photographic print processor" means any 
          person who develops exposed photographic film into negatives, 
          slides, or prints, or who makes prints from negatives or slides, 
          for compensation.  The term includes any employee of such a 
          person; it does not include a person who develops film or makes 
          prints for a public agency.  (30) A child visitation monitor, as 
          specified.  (31) An animal control officer or humane society 
          officer, as specified.  (32) A clergy member, as specified.  
          (33) Any custodian of records of a clergy member, as specified.  
          (34) Any employee of any police department, county sheriff's 
          department, county probation department, or county welfare 
          department.  (35) An employee or volunteer of a Court Appointed 
          Special Advocate program, as specified.  (36) A custodial 
          officer, as specified.  (37) Any person providing services to a 
          minor child under Section 12300 or 12300.1 of the Welfare and 
          Institutions Code. (38) An alcohol and drug counselor, as 
          specified.  (39)  A clinical counselor trainee, as specified.  
          (40)  A clinical counselor intern, as specified.



                                                                     (More)







                                                           SB 1551 (Vargas)
                                                                      PageE













































                                                                     (More)







                                                           SB 1551 (Vargas)
                                                                      PageF

          would "have the same meaning as in Section 11166";<2> and 
          "sexual abuse" would "have the same meaning as in Section 
          11165.1.<3> 

           This bill  would impose the following penalties for a competent 
          adult to fail to make a report as required by this bill:
          ---------------------------
          <2>   Paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of section 11166 of the 
          Penal Code states:   For purposes of this article, "reasonable 
          suspicion" means that it is objectively reasonable for a person 
          to entertain a suspicion, based upon facts that could cause a 
          reasonable person in a like position, drawing, when appropriate, 
          on his or her training and
          experience, to suspect child abuse or neglect. "Reasonable 
          suspicion" does not require certainty that child abuse or 
          neglect has occurred nor does it require a specific medical 
          indication of child abuse or neglect; any "reasonable suspicion" 
          is sufficient. For the purpose of this article, the pregnancy of 
          a minor does not, in and of itself,
          constitute a basis for a reasonable suspicion of sexual abuse."
          <3>   Penal Code section 11165.1 defines "sexual abuse" to mean 
          both "sexual abuse" and "sexual exploitation," as more 
          delineated in that section.  "Sexual assault" generally is 
          defined to mean conduct in violation of specified criminal 
          statutes, and conduct described by this section.  "Sexual 
          exploitation" refers to "(c)onduct involving matter depicting a 
          minor engaged in obscene acts," and to persons who knowingly 
          promote or in other specified ways advance child prostitution, 
          live obscene conduct or obscene depictions, as specified.



                                                                     (More)







                                                           SB 1551 (Vargas)
                                                                      PageG


                 A person who fails to report "when the unreported 
               information or evidence would cause a reasonable suspicion 
               of child sexual abuse, for instance receipt of multiple 
               sources of third-hand information, is guilty of negligent 
               failure to report, a misdemeanor" punishable by up to six 
               months in county jail, a fine of $1,000, or by both that 
               fine and imprisonment.
                 A person who fails to report "when the unreported 
               information or evidence would cause a strong reasonable 
               suspicion of child sexual abuse, for instance receipt of 
               multiple sources of secondhand information, is guilty of 
               failure to report," a misdemeanor punishable by up to one 
               year in county jail, a fine of $2,500, or by both that fine 
               and imprisonment.
                 A person who fails to report "when the unreported 
               information or evidence would cause a reinforced reasonable 
               suspicion of child sexual abuse, for instance receipt of 
               multiple sources of firsthand information, is guilty of 
               gross failure to report, a felony punishable by three years 
               confinement in county jail pursuant to subdivision (h) of 
               Section 1170," a fine of $5,000, or by both that fine and 
               imprisonment.
                 A person who "engages in intentional conduct, who acts 
               to hinder the discovery of information or evidence, who 
               conceals, alters, or destroys information or evidence, or 
               who tampers with, coerces, influences, or intimidates a 
               witness, relating to child sexual abuse is guilty of 
               aggravated failure to report," a felony punishable by 10 
               years in state prison, a fine of $10,000, or by both that 
               fine and imprisonment.

           This bill  would provide that a complaint may be filed for 
          violation of this new crime within
          five years of the occurrence.

                                          
                    RECEIVERSHIP/OVERCROWDING CRISIS AGGRAVATION
                                      ("ROCA")
          




                                                                     (More)







                                                           SB 1551 (Vargas)
                                                                      PageH

          In response to the unresolved prison capacity crisis, since 
          early 2007 it has been the policy of the chair of the Senate 
          Committee on Public Safety and the Senate President pro Tem to 
          hold legislative proposals which could further aggravate prison 
          overcrowding through new or expanded felony prosecutions.  Under 
          the resulting policy known as "ROCA" (which stands for 
          "Receivership/Overcrowding Crisis Aggravation"), the Committee 
          has held measures which create a new felony, expand the scope or 
          penalty of an existing felony, or otherwise increase the 
          application of a felony in a manner which could exacerbate the 
          prison overcrowding crisis by expanding the availability or 
          length of prison terms (such as extending the statute of 
          limitations for felonies or constricting statutory parole 
          standards).  In addition, proposed expansions to the 
          classification of felonies enacted last year by AB 109 (the 2011 
          Public Safety Realignment) which may be punishable in jail and 
          not prison (Penal Code section 1170(h)) would be subject to ROCA 
          because an offender's criminal record could make the offender 
          ineligible for jail and therefore subject to state prison.  
          Under these principles, ROCA has been applied as a 
          content-neutral, provisional measure necessary to ensure that 
          the Legislature does not erode progress towards reducing prison 
          overcrowding by passing legislation which could increase the 
          prison population.  ROCA will continue until prison overcrowding 
          is resolved.

          For the last several years, severe overcrowding in California's 
          prisons has been the focus of evolving and expensive litigation. 
           On June 30, 2005, in a class action lawsuit filed four years 
          earlier, the United States District Court for the Northern 
          District of California established a Receivership to take 
          control of the delivery of medical services to all California 
          state prisoners confined by the California Department of 
          Corrections and Rehabilitation ("CDCR").  In December of 2006, 
          plaintiffs in two federal lawsuits against CDCR sought a 
          court-ordered limit on the prison population pursuant to the 
          federal Prison Litigation Reform Act.  On January 12, 2010, a 
          three-judge federal panel issued an order requiring California 
          to reduce its inmate population to 137.5 percent of design 
          capacity -- a reduction at that time of roughly 40,000 inmates 




                                                                     (More)







                                                           SB 1551 (Vargas)
                                                                      PageI

          -- within two years.  The court stayed implementation of its 
          ruling pending the state's appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.  

          On May 23, 2011, the United States Supreme Court upheld the 
          decision of the three-judge panel in its entirety, giving 
          California two years from the date of its ruling to reduce its 
          prison population to 137.5 percent of design capacity, subject 
          to the right of the state to seek modifications in appropriate 
          circumstances.  Design capacity is the number of inmates a 
          prison can house based on one inmate per cell, single-level 
          bunks in dormitories, and no beds in places not designed for 
          housing.  Current design capacity in CDCR's 33 institutions is 
          79,650.

          On January 6, 2012, CDCR announced that California had cut 
          prison overcrowding by more than 11,000 inmates over the last 
          six months, a reduction largely accomplished by the passage of 
          Assembly Bill 109.  Under the prisoner-reduction order, the 
          inmate population in California's 33 prisons must be no more 
          than the following:

                 167 percent of design capacity by December 27, 2011 
               (133,016 inmates);
                 155 percent by June 27, 2012;
                 147 percent by December 27, 2012; and
                 137.5 percent by June 27, 2013.
               
          The author's office has been informed that this bill appears to 
          aggravate the prison overcrowding crisis described above under 
          ROCA.


                                      COMMENTS

          1.  Stated Need for This Bill
           
          The author states:

               Abuse and negligence inflicted upon children is 
               something that our state has many laws and provisions 




                                                                     (More)







                                                           SB 1551 (Vargas)
                                                                      PageJ

               against. According to the California Department of 
               Social Services, the first child abuse reporting law 
               in California was enacted in 1963. The early laws 
               mandated only physicians to report physical abuse. 
               Over the years, numerous amendments have expanded the 
               definition of child abuse and the persons required to 
               report. Procedures for reporting categories of child 
               abuse have also been clarified through legislation 
               over the last fifty years. This bill proposes a 
               requirement of all competent adults to report 
               reasonable suspicion of child sexual abuse. The bill 
               would also make failure to report punishable by a 
               range of fines and imprisonment based on the level of 
               the failure.

               According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, "A 
               child is abused every 7 minutes in California." It is 
               because of this fact that this bill is necessary. 
               Existing California law requires that any person who 
               reasonably believes that he or she has observed the 
               commission of either a murder or rape where the victim 
               is a child under the age of 14 years, to notify a 
               peace officer. Passage of this bill require that all 
               competent adults, 18 and over, report reasonable 
               suspicion of child sexual abuse. This new bill would 
               build upon AB 1422 (Torlakson), and would mandate a 
               competent adult to report whether or not he/she 
               witnessed the child sexual abuse firsthand.

          2.  What This Bill Would Do; Existing Law; Potential Unintended 
          Consequences

           As explained above, this bill would enact a new crime - 
          punishable as a misdemeanor or a felony depending upon the 
          circumstances - for any competent adult to fail to report child 
          sexual abuse when they become "aware of information or evidence 
          that would cause a reasonable suspicion of child sexual abuse" 
          within 72 hours.  As discussed below, California law currently 
          mandates witnesses of child abuse or neglect to report under 
          certain circumstances.




                                                                     (More)







                                                           SB 1551 (Vargas)
                                                                      PageK


          First, as explained above, the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting 
          Act enumerates forty categories of "mandated reporters" who are 
          required to make a report "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." Mandated reporters are 
          subject to criminal penalties if they fail to make a mandated 
          report.  (Penal Code �� 11166; 11166.01.)

          Second, current law also provides that any person who reasonably 
          believes that he or she has observed the commission of a murder, 
          rape or forcible molestation against a child under the age of 14 
          years to notify a peace officer, as specified.  (Penal Code � 
          152.3.)  This bill would appear to duplicate some of what 
          already is covered in existing law - for example, the rape or 
          forcible molestation of a minor under the age of 14.  In other 
          respects, this bill would appear to apply more broadly than 
          existing law - for example, the minor victim could be 14 or 
          older, and could be a victim of a significantly wider range of 
          sex and exploitation crimes, and the witness is not a mandated 
          reporter.<4>

          This existing law - Penal Code section 152.3 -- also excludes 
          from its application the following categories of persons:

            (1) A person who is related to either the victim or the 
            offender, including a husband, wife, parent, child, brother, 
            sister, grandparent, grandchild, or other person related by 
            consanguinity or affinity.
            (2) A person who fails to report based on a reasonable mistake 
            of fact.
            (3) A person who fails to report based on a reasonable fear 
            for his or her own safety or for the safety of his or her 
            family.<5>

          These exceptions were developed in part to address concerns 

          ---------------------------
          <4>   See footnote (3), supra.
          <5>   Penal Code � 152.3(e).



                                                                     (More)







                                                           SB 1551 (Vargas)
                                                                      PageL

          about the unintentional consequence of discouraging witnesses 
          from coming forward in these cases, or being effective witnesses 
          in subsequent prosecutions, because they themselves commit a 
          crime if they fail to come forward in a timely manner.  As 
          explained in the Senate Committee on Public Safety analysis of 
          AB 1422 in 2000:

               The Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution 
               includes a privilege against self-incrimination.  
               Under the  Miranda  rules, law enforcement officers 
               must inform an in custody criminal "suspect" of his or 
               her right to remain silent and to have an attorney.  ( 
                Miranda v. Arizona  (1966) 384 U.S. 436.)  A          
               "suspect" is a person upon whom investigating officers 
               have focused their attention as the likely perpetrator 
                                                                                            of a crime.  (  People v. Stansbury  (1993) 4 Cal.4th 
               1017, 1050-1054.)   "Custody" generally means 
               detention by the police such that the person is not 
               free to leave. (Id. at 1053-1054; (  People v.           
                 Esqueda  (1993) 17 Cal.App.4th 1450.)

               A person who is talking to a peace officer to report a 
               crime under this statute becomes a "suspect"-- a 
               likely perpetrator of a crime.  Thus, once a person 
               becomes a suspect he or she cannot disclose what it 
               was he or she witnessed and when without incriminating 
               his or herself.<6>

          The Committee analysis asked the following questions pertaining 
          to AB 1422 in 2000 which are equally relevant to the bill before 
          the Committee today:

               BY MAKING POTENTIAL WITNESSES WHO DID NOT REPORT 
               SUBJECT TO A CRIMINAL PENALTY WON'T THIS BILL HAMPER 
               POLICE INVESTIGATIONS?

               WHEN THE POLICE REALIZE A PERSON MAY BE SUBJECT TO A 
               CRIMINAL PENALTY THEY WILL NEED TO INFORM THE PERSON ? 

               ----------------------
          <6>   Analysis of AB 1422 (Torlakson), June 13, 2000, Senate 
          Committee on Public Safety.



                                                                     (More)







                                                           SB 1551 (Vargas)
                                                                      PageM

               OF HIS OR HER FIFTH AMENDMENT RIGHTS - WILL THIS CAUSE 
               CONCERN IN OTHERWISE WILLING WITNESSES?<7>

          The Committee analysis of AB 1422 also raised this additional 
          question concerning the impact of criminalizing the failure to 
          report a crime on prosecuting these cases:

               If a District Attorney uses a witness who did not 
               report one of these crimes, the District Attorney will 
               have to give the witness immunity, or charge them with 
               a crime.  The District Attorney will be required to 
               inform defense counsel of any            immunity deal 
               and the witness will then be subject to impeachment on 
               cross-examination.<8>

          Members may wish to discuss the potential unintended impacts of 
          this bill on prosecuting the child abuse cases it seeks to bring 
          to light.  Members also may wish to discuss whether this bill 
          should be amended to include exceptions similar to those 
          contained in Penal Code section 152.3.

          WOULD THIS BILL MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT TO PROSECUTE SOME CHILD 
          ABUSE CASES?

          SHOULD THIS BILL BE AMENDED TO EXCLUDE CERTAIN PERSONS FROM THIS 
          BILL?

          3.  No Common Law Duty To Aid Others
           
          Historically, in common law there is no general legal duty to 
          aid others.  This Committee's 2000 analysis of AB 1422, 
          discussed above, provides background with respect to the duty to 
          aid others:

               Citing LaFave and Scott, a Dayton Law Journal article 
               notes that generally speaking:



                    -----------------
          <7>   Id.
          <8>   Id.



                                                                     (More)







                                                           SB 1551 (Vargas)
                                                                      PageN

                    One has no legal duty to aid another person 
                    in peril, even when that aid can be rendered 
                    without danger or inconvenience to himself.  
                    He need not shout a warning to a blind man 
                    headed for a precipice or to an 
                    absent-minded one walking into a gunpowder 
                    room with a lighted candle in hand.  He need 
                    not pull a neighbor's baby out of a pool of 
                    water . . .  though the baby is drowning . . 
                    . A moral duty to take affirmative actions 
                    is not enough to impose a legal duty to do 
                    so. (fn.)


               However, the law review article goes on to say that 
               while LaFave and Scott are technically correct 
               "�c]riminal law is filled with obligations ascribing 
               legal duties to all of us based upon the consensus of 
               our elected officials as to what they believe is 
               morally appropriate." (fn.)  Seven major areas where a 
               duty to aid are discussed.  They are:  A duty to act 
               based upon a relationship of the parties; a duty to 
               act based upon contract; a duty based upon a voluntary 
               assumption of care; a duty may arise from the fact 
               that the person created the risk from which the need 
               for protection arose.; a duty can arise from a special 
               relationship that makes a non-acting partner 
               criminally responsible for the actor's criminal 
               action; a duty can arise from the fact that one owns 
               the real property upon which the victim is injured; 
               and the duty to act and the resulting criminal 
               liability for failing to act, based upon statute. 
               (fn.)<9>


          The Sherrice Iverson Act (AB 1422) was described by the author 
          as "needed to help avoid future scenarios such as the 1997 
          tragedy where the young girl . . . was assaulted and killed by a 

          ---------------------------

          <9>  Id, (footnotes omitted).



                                                                     (More)







                                                           SB 1551 (Vargas)
                                                                      PageO

          young man whose companion did not feel the responsibility to 
          report the crime."  Current California law requires any person 
          (except as specified) who reasonably believes that he or she has 
          observed the commission of a murder, rape or forcible 
          molestation against a child under the age of 14 years to notify 
          a peace officer.   


          SHOULD EXISTING LAW BE EXPANDED, AS PROPOSED BY THIS BILL?


          4.  Definitions; Statute of Limitations  

          This bill would establish a tiered penalty scheme which appears 
          to be based on how much of a reasonable suspicion the offender 
          had of the crime:

           ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
          |       Level of Suspicion       | Penalty for Failure to Report  |
          |--------------------------------+--------------------------------|
          |"reasonable suspicion,"  "for   |6-month misdemeanor/$1000 fine  |
          |instance receipt of multiple    |                                |
          |sources of third-hand           |                                |
          |information"                    |                                |
          |--------------------------------+--------------------------------|
          |"strong reasonable suspicion,"  |12-month misdemeanor/$2500 fine |
          |"for instance receipt of        |                                |
          |multiple sources of secondhand  |                                |
          |information"                    |                                |
          |--------------------------------+--------------------------------|
          |"reinforced reasonable          |3-year jail felony<10>/$5,000   |
          |suspicion," "for instance       |fine                            |
          |receipt of multiple sources of  |                                |
          |firsthand information"          |                                |
          |--------------------------------+--------------------------------|
          |Intentional conduct to hinder   |10-year prison felony/$10,000   |
          |or conceal evidence of child    |fine                            |
          ---------------------------
          <10>   The language cites Penal Code section 1170(h), enacted in 
          realignment, under which certain felons are ineligible to serve 
          their felony in jail because of their criminal offense history.



                                                                     (More)







                                                           SB 1551 (Vargas)
                                                                      PageP

          |sexual abuse, as specified      |                                |
           ----------------------------------------------------------------- 

          Members may wish to discuss the meaning and effect of these 
          levels of suspicion, and whether they sufficiently clear to not 
          be construed as constitutionally vague.  In addition, existing 
          laws proscribe destroying and concealing evidence (See e.g., 
          Penal Code � 135) and influencing witnesses (See e.g., Penal 
          Code �� 133, 136.1, 138 et seq.)  These provisions all contain 
          penalties different than the penalty proposed by this bill.  
          Members may wish to discuss whether existing law covers this 
          provision of this bill.  

          In addition, as noted above, the proposed felony provisions of 
          this measure are subject to the Committee's ROCA policy.

          This bill would establish a 5-year statute of limitations for 
          the new crimes it proposes.  The statute of limitations requires 
          commencement of a prosecution within a certain period of time 
          after the commission of a crime.  Most misdemeanor prosecutions 
          must be commenced within one year after commission of the 
          offense.  (Penal Code � 802.)   Prosecution for crimes 
          punishable by imprisonment in the state prison generally must be 
          commenced within three years after commission of the offense.  
          (Penal Code � 801.)  Sex crimes are subject to differing 
          limitations periods.  (Penal Code �� 80, 801.2.)  This bill 
          would impose a 5 year limitations period on any of the crimes 
          enumerated above, misdemeanor or felony.  The author and the 
          Committee may wish to consider how this limitation period fits 
          into existing statutes of limitations, including an assessment 
          against the following three principles behind limitations 
          periods:

                  Staleness  :  The statute of limitations protects persons 
               accused of crime:  (i) from having to face charges based on 
               evidence that may be unreliable and (ii) from losing access 
               to the evidentiary means to defend against the accusation.  
               With the passage of time, memory fades, witnesses die or 
               otherwise become unavailable, and physical evidence becomes 
               unobtainable or contaminated.




                                                                     (More)







                                                           SB 1551 (Vargas)
                                                                      PageQ


                  Prompt Investigation  :  The statute of limitations 
               imposes a priority among crimes for investigation and 
               prosecution.  The deadline serves to motivate the police 
               and to ensure against bureaucratic delays in investigating 
               crimes.

                  Repose  :  The statute of limitations reflect society's 
               lack of desire to prosecute for crimes committed in the 
               distant past.  The interest in repose represents a societal 
               evaluation of the time after which it is neither profitable 
               nor desirable to commence a prosecution.

          HOW WOULD A 5-YEAR STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS FOR FAILURE TO REPORT 
          AS PROPOSED BY THIS BILL IMPACT THE PROSECUTION AND DEFENSE OF 
          THESE CRIMES?




























                                                                     (More)











           5.   Several Bills in this Area
           
          Several bills have been introduced this session which propose to 
          expand the obligation to report suspected child abuse or 
          neglect.  Members may wish to consider how these bills relate to 
          one another and how they could be reconciled to the extent they 
          may be redundant or inconsistent.  
                                          
          
           ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
          |       Bill       |     What the Bill Does     |     Status      |
          |------------------+----------------------------+-----------------|
          |SB 1551 (Vargas)  |Requires a "competent adult |Before this      |
          |(this bill)       |who becomes aware of        |Committee        |
          |                  |information or evidence     |                 |
          |                  |that would cause a          |                 |
          |                  |reasonable suspicion of     |                 |
          |                  |child sexual                |                 |
          |                  |abuse is required to report |                 |
          |                  |that information to state   |                 |
          |                  |or local law enforcement or |                 |
          |                  |to county child protective  |                 |
          |                  |services within 72 hours,"  |                 |
          |                  |with specified criminal     |                 |
          |                  |penalties.                  |                 |
           ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
                                          
          
           ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
          |       Bill       |     What the Bill Does     |     Status      |
          |------------------+----------------------------+-----------------|
          |SB 1264 (Vargas)  |Makes any "athletic coach,  |Before this      |
          |                  |including, but not limited  |Committee        |
          |                  |to, an assistant coach or a |                 |
          |                  |graduate assistant involved |                 |
          |                  |in coaching, at public or   |                 |
          |                  |private postsecondary       |                 |
          |                  |institutions," a mandated   |                 |
          |                  |reporter, and increases     |                 |




                                                                     (More)







                                                           SB 1551 (Vargas)
                                                                      PageS

          |                  |specified related           |                 |
          |                  |penalties.                  |                 |
          |------------------+----------------------------+-----------------|
          |AB 1434 (Feuer)   | Makes an "employee of a    |Assembly Floor   |
          |                  |public or private           |                 |
          |                  |institution of higher       |                 |
          |                  |education, as to child      |                 |
          |                  |abuse or neglect occurring  |                 |
          |                  |on that institution's       |                 |
          |                  |premises or at an official  |                 |
          |                  |activity of, or program     |                 |
          |                  |conducted by, the           |                 |
          |                  |institution," a mandated    |                 |
          |                  |reporter.                   |                 |
          |------------------+----------------------------+-----------------|
          |AB 1435           |Makes an "athletic coach,   |Assembly         |
          |(Dickinson)       |athletic administrator, or  |Appropriations   |
          |                  |athletic director employed  |(suspense)       |
          |                  |by a public or private      |                 |
          |                  |organization, including,    |                 |
          |                  |but not limited to, schools |                 |
          |                  |and institutions of higher  |                 |
          |                  |education," a mandated      |                 |
          |                  |reporter; and requires      |                 |
          |                  |training, as specified.     |                 |
          |------------------+----------------------------+-----------------|
          |AB 1438           |Expands the existing crime  |Assembly         |
          |(Bradford)        |for failing to notify a     |Floor            |
          |                  |peace officer of a          |                 |
          |                  |specified violent crime     |                 |
          |                  |against a child under 14 to |                 |
          |                  |include non-forcible child  |                 |
          |                  |molestation (PC 152.3)      |                 |
          |------------------+----------------------------+-----------------|
          |AB 1564 (Lara)    |Makes "volunteers of public |Assembly Public  |
          |                  |or private organizations,   |Safety           |
          |                  |including nonprofit         |                 |
          |                  |organizations, whose duties |                 |
          |                  |require direct contact with |                 |
          |                  |and supervision of          |                 |












                                                           SB 1551 (Vargas)
                                                                      PageT

          |                  |children," mandated         |                 |
          |                  |reporters.                  |                 |
          |------------------+----------------------------+-----------------|
          |AB 1713 (Campos)  |Expands existing definition |Assembly         |
          |                  |of commercial film and      |Appropriations   |
          |                  |photographic print          |                 |
          |                  |processers who are mandated |                 |
          |                  |reporters to include        |                 |
          |                  |several enumerated types of |                 |
          |                  |computer-related data and   |                 |
          |                  |imagery.                    |                 |
          |------------------+----------------------------+-----------------|
          |AB 1817 (Atkins)  |Makes "commercial computer  |Assembly Public  |
          |                  |technicians," as specified, |Safety           |
          |                  |mandated reporters          |                 |
           ----------------------------------------------------------------- 



                                   ***************