California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 790

Introduced by Assembly Member Gomez

February 21, 2013

An act to amend Section 11166 of the Penal Code, relating to child abuse.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 790, as introduced, Gomez. Child abuse: reporting.

The Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act requires a mandated reporter, as defined, to make a report to a specified agency 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 further requires the mandated reporter to make an initial report by telephone to the agency immediately or as soon as is practicably possible, and to prepare and send, fax, or electronically transmit a written followup report within 36 hours of receiving the information concerning the incident.

Existing law additionally provides that, when 2 or more mandated reporters have joint knowledge of suspected child abuse or neglect, they may select a member of the team by mutual agreement to make and sign a single report. Any member who has knowledge that the member designated to report has failed to do so is required to thereafter make the report.

This bill would delete these latter provisions, thus requiring every mandated reporter who has knowledge of suspected child abuse or neglect to make a report, as specified.

Because this bill would expand the definition of a crime, it would impose a state-mandated program.

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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: yes.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.  

Section 11166 of the Penal Code is amended to
read:

11166.  

(a) Except as provided in subdivision (d), and in
Section 11166.05, a mandated reporter shall make a report to an
agency specified in Section 11165.9 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. The mandated reporter shall make
an initial report by telephone to the agency immediately or as soon
as is practicably possible, and shall prepare and send, fax, or
electronically transmit a written followup report within 36 hours
of receiving the information concerning the incident. The mandated
reporter may include with the report any nonprivileged
documentary evidence the mandated reporter possesses relating
to the incident.

(1) 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 purposes of this article, the pregnancy of a minor does not, in
and of itself, constitute a basis for a reasonable suspicion of sexual
abuse.

(2) The agency shall be notified and a report shall be prepared
and sent, faxed, or electronically transmitted even if the child has
expired, regardless of whether or not the possible abuse was a
factor contributing to the death, and even if suspected child abuse
was discovered during an autopsy.

(3) Any report made by a mandated reporter pursuant to this
section shall be known as a mandated report.

(b) If after reasonable efforts a mandated reporter is unable to
submit an initial report by telephone, he or she shall immediately
or as soon as is practicably possible, by fax or electronic
transmission, make a one-time automated written report on the
form prescribed by the Department of Justice, and shall also be
available to respond to a telephone followup call by the agency
with which he or she filed the report. A mandated reporter who
files a one-time automated written report because he or she was
unable to submit an initial report by telephone is not required to
submit a written followup report.

(1) The one-time automated written report form prescribed by
the Department of Justice shall be clearly identifiable so that it is
not mistaken for a standard written followup report. In addition,
the automated one-time report shall contain a section that allows
the mandated reporter to state the reason the initial telephone call
was not able to be completed. The reason for the submission of
the one-time automated written report in lieu of the procedure
prescribed in subdivision (a) shall be captured in the Child Welfare
Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS). The department
shall work with stakeholders to modify reporting forms and the
CWS/CMS as is necessary to accommodate the changes enacted
by these provisions.

(2) This subdivision shall not become operative until the
CWS/CMS is updated to capture the information prescribed in this
subdivision.

(3) This subdivision shall become inoperative three years after
this subdivision becomes operative or on January 1, 2009,
whichever occurs first.

(4) On the inoperative date of these provisions, a report shall
be submitted to the counties and the Legislature by the State
Department of Social Services that reflects the data collected from
automated one-time reports indicating the reasons stated as to why
the automated one-time report was filed in lieu of the initial
telephone report.

(5) Nothing in this section shall supersede the requirement that
a mandated reporter first attempt to make a report via telephone,
or that agencies specified in Section 11165.9 accept reports from
mandated reporters and other persons as required.

(c) Any mandated reporter who fails to report an incident of
known or reasonably suspected child abuse or neglect as required
by this section is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by up to six
months confinement in a county jail or by a fine of one thousand
dollars ($1,000) or by both that imprisonment and fine. If a
mandated reporter intentionally conceals his or her failure to report
an incident known by the mandated reporter to be abuse or severe
neglect under this section, the failure to report is a continuing
offense until an agency specified in Section 11165.9 discovers the
offense.

(d) (1) A clergy member who acquires knowledge or a
reasonable suspicion of child abuse or neglect during a penitential
communication is not subject to subdivision (a). For the purposes
of this subdivision, “penitential communication” means a
communication, intended to be in confidence, including, but not
limited to, a sacramental confession, made to a clergy member
who, in the course of the discipline or practice of his or her church,
denomination, or organization, is authorized or accustomed to hear
those communications, and under the discipline, tenets, customs,
or practices of his or her church, denomination, or organization,
has a duty to keep those communications secret.

(2) Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to modify or
limit a clergy member’s duty to report known or suspected child
abuse or neglect when the clergy member is acting in some other
capacity that would otherwise make the clergy member a mandated
reporter.

(3) (A) On or before January 1, 2004, a clergy member or any
custodian of records for the clergy member may report to an agency
specified in Section 11165.9 that the clergy member or any
custodian of records for the clergy member, prior to January 1,
1997, in his or her professional capacity or within the scope of his
or her employment, other than during a penitential communication,
acquired knowledge or had a reasonable suspicion that a child had
been the victim of sexual abuse that the clergy member or any
custodian of records for the clergy member did not previously
report the abuse to an agency specified in Section 11165.9. The
provisions of Section 11172 shall apply to all reports made pursuant
to this paragraph.

(B) This paragraph shall apply even if the victim of the known
or suspected abuse has reached the age of majority by the time the
required report is made.

(C) The local law enforcement agency shall have jurisdiction
to investigate any report of child abuse made pursuant to this
paragraph even if the report is made after the victim has reached
the age of majority.

(e) (1) Any commercial film, photographic print, or image
processor who has knowledge of or observes, within the scope of
his or her professional capacity or employment, any film,
photograph, videotape, negative, slide, or any representation of
information, data, or an image, including, but not limited to, any
film, filmstrip, photograph, negative, slide, photocopy, videotape,
video laser disc, computer hardware, computer software, computer
floppy disk, data storage medium, CD-ROM, computer-generated
equipment, or computer-generated image depicting a child under
16 years of age engaged in an act of sexual conduct, shall
immediately, or as soon as practically possible, telephonically
report the instance of suspected abuse to the law enforcement
agency located in the county in which the images are seen. Within
36 hours of receiving the information concerning the incident, the
reporter shall prepare and send, fax, or electronically transmit a
written followup report of the incident with a copy of the image
or material attached.

(2) Any commercial computer technician who has knowledge
of or observes, within the scope of his or her professional capacity
or employment, any representation of information, data, or an
image, including, but not limited, to any computer hardware,
computer software, computer file, computer floppy disk, data
storage medium, CD-ROM, computer-generated equipment, or
computer-generated image that is retrievable in perceivable form
and that is intentionally saved, transmitted, or organized on an
electronic medium, depicting a child under 16 years of age engaged
in an act of sexual conduct, shall immediately, or as soon as
practicably possible, telephonically report the instance of suspected
abuse to the law enforcement agency located in the county in which
the images or material are seen. As soon as practicably possible
after receiving the information concerning the incident, the reporter
shall prepare and send, fax, or electronically transmit a written
followup report of the incident with a brief description of the
images or materials.

(3) For purposes of this article, “commercial computer
technician” includes an employee designated by an employer to
receive reports pursuant to an established reporting process
authorized by subparagraph (B) of paragraph (41) of subdivision
(a) of Section 11165.7.

(4) As used in this subdivision, “electronic medium” includes,
but is not limited to, a recording, CD-ROM, magnetic disk memory,
magnetic tape memory, CD, DVD, thumbdrive, or any other
computer hardware or media.

(5) As used in this subdivision, “sexual conduct” means any of
the following:

(A) Sexual intercourse, including genital-genital, oral-genital,
anal-genital, or oral-anal, whether between persons of the same or
opposite sex or between humans and animals.

(B) Penetration of the vagina or rectum by any object.

(C) Masturbation for the purpose of sexual stimulation of the
viewer.

(D) Sadomasochistic abuse for the purpose of sexual stimulation
of the viewer.

(E) Exhibition of the genitals, pubic, or rectal areas of any
person for the purpose of sexual stimulation of the viewer.

(f) Any mandated reporter who knows or reasonably suspects
that the home or institution in which a child resides is unsuitable
for the child because of abuse or neglect of the child shall bring
the condition to the attention of the agency to which, and at the
same time as, he or she makes a report of the abuse or neglect
pursuant to subdivision (a).

(g) Any other person who has knowledge of or observes a child
whom he or she knows or reasonably suspects has been a victim
of child abuse or neglect may report the known or suspected
instance of child abuse or neglect to an agency specified in Section
11165.9. For purposes of this section, “any other person” includes
a mandated reporter who acts in his or her private capacity and
not in his or her professional capacity or within the scope of his
or her employment.

begin delete

(h) When two or more persons, who are required to report,
jointly have knowledge of a known or suspected instance of child
abuse or neglect, and when there is agreement among them, the
telephone report may be made by a member of the team selected
by mutual agreement and a single report may be made and signed
by the selected member of the reporting team. Any member who
has knowledge that the member designated to report has failed to
do so shall thereafter make the report.

(i)

end delete

begin insert (h) end insert  (1) The reporting duties under this section are individual,
and no supervisor or administrator may impede or inhibit the
reporting duties, and no person making a report shall be subject
to any sanction for making the report. However, internal procedures
to facilitate reporting and apprise supervisors and administrators
of reports may be established provided that they are not inconsistent
with this article.

(2) The internal procedures shall not require any employee
required to make reports pursuant to this article to disclose his or
her identity to the employer.

(3) Reporting the information regarding a case of possible child
abuse or neglect to an employer, supervisor, school principal,
school counselor, coworker, or other person shall not be a substitute
for making a mandated report to an agency specified in Section
11165.9.

begin delete

(j)

end delete

begin insert (i) end insert  A county probation or welfare department shall immediately,
or as soon as practicably possible, report by telephone, fax, or
electronic transmission to the law enforcement agency having
jurisdiction over the case, to the agency given the responsibility
for investigation of cases under Section 300 of the Welfare and
Institutions Code, and to the district attorney’s office every known
or suspected instance of child abuse or neglect, as defined in
Section 11165.6, except acts or omissions coming within
subdivision (b) of Section 11165.2, or reports made pursuant to
Section 11165.13 based on risk to a child which relates solely to
the inability of the parent to provide the child with regular care
due to the parent’s substance abuse, which shall be reported only
to the county welfare or probation department. A county probation
or welfare department also shall send, fax, or electronically transmit
a written report thereof within 36 hours of receiving the information
concerning the incident to any agency to which it makes a
telephone report under this subdivision.

begin delete

(k)

end delete

begin insert (j) end insert  A law enforcement agency shall immediately, or as soon as
practicably possible, report by telephone, fax, or electronic
transmission to the agency given responsibility for investigation
of cases under Section 300 of the Welfare and Institutions Code
and to the district attorney’s office every known or suspected
instance of child abuse or neglect reported to it, except acts or
omissions coming within subdivision (b) of Section 11165.2, which
shall be reported only to the county welfare or probation
department. A law enforcement agency shall report to the county
welfare or probation department every known or suspected instance
of child abuse or neglect reported to it which is alleged to have
occurred as a result of the action of a person responsible for the
child’s welfare, or as the result of the failure of a person responsible
for the child’s welfare to adequately protect the minor from abuse
when the person responsible for the child’s welfare knew or
reasonably should have known that the minor was in danger of
abuse. A law enforcement agency also shall send, fax, or
electronically transmit a written report thereof within 36 hours of
receiving the information concerning the incident to any agency
to which it makes a telephone report under this subdivision.

SEC. 2.  

No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to
Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because
the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school
district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or
infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty
for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of
the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within
the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California
Constitution.