Amended in Assembly January 4, 2016

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 1001

Introduced by Assembly Member Maienschein

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(Principal coauthor: Senator Vidak)

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(Coauthors: Assembly Members Chávez, Olsen, and Waldron)

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(Coauthor: Senator Bates)

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February 26, 2015

An act to amend Section begin delete 11166 of the Penal end delete begin insert 1554 of, and to add Sections 1550.1 and 1556.5 to, the Health and Safety Code, and to amend Section 10605.5 of the Welfare and Institutions end insert Code, relating to child abuse.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 1001, as amended, Maienschein. Child abuse: begin delete reporting. end delete begin insert reporting: foster family agencies. end insert

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(1) 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. Under existing law, the failure to make this report is a crime. Existing law also prohibits a supervisor or administrator from impeding or inhibiting the reporting duties, provides that a person making the report shall not be subject to any sanctions for making the report, and prohibits internal procedures to facilitate reporting from requiring any employee required to make reports to disclose his or her identity to the employer.

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Existing law, the California Community Care Facilities Act (the act), governs the licensing and regulation of community care facilities, as defined, including foster family agencies for children. Existing law vests responsibility for administering and enforcing laws and regulations governing those facilities in the State Department of Social Services.

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This bill would require the department to deny an application for, or suspend or revoke, a license pursuant to the act, upon a finding that the applicant or licensee has impeded or inhibited those mandated reporting duties, sanctioned a person making a report, or required an employee to disclose his or her identity to the employer in violation of the provisions described above governing mandated reporters. The bill would prohibit the reinstatement of a license, registration, or special permit that is suspended pursuant to this provision, as specified. The bill would also impose other related requirements on the department governing conditions of licensure.

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(2) Existing law requires the department, in consultation with counties and labor organizations, to establish a process to receive voluntary disclosures from social workers, if a social worker has reasonable cause to believe that a policy, procedure, or practice, related to the provision of child welfare services by a county child welfare agency, meets any of specified conditions, including that the policy, procedure, or practice endangers the health or well-being of children or is contrary to existing statute or regulation. Existing law requires the department to make available to counties and labor organizations a description of the process established, and, no later than January 1, 2018, to report to the Legislature the total number of relevant disclosures received from social workers and a summary description of both the issues raised in the disclosures received and the actions taken by the department in response to the disclosures, and to post the information on the department’s Internet Web site.

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This bill would, effective January 1, 2018, require the department to carry out the duties imposed pursuant to these provisions with respect to voluntary disclosures from social workers employed at a foster family agency, as defined, including, but not limited to, disclosures from social workers who have reasonable cause to believe that a policy, procedure, or practice violates the provisions governing mandated reporters described in paragraph (1). The bill would require the department to make a report regarding this information, similar to the report required pursuant to existing law, no later than July 1, 2019, and to post the information on its Internet Web site.

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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. Under existing law, the failure to make this report is a crime.

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This bill would prohibit a person from impeding or interfering with the making of a report of suspected child abuse or neglect by a mandated reporter. The bill would provide that an intentional violation of these provisions is a misdemeanor and may subject the offender to liability for actual damages sustained by a victim of child abuse or neglect for any abuse or neglect that occurs after the person impeded or interfered with the report being made.

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By creating a new crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

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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.

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This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

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Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program:  begin delete yes end delete begin insert no end insert .

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

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begin insert SECTION 1. end insert   

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begin insert Section 1550.1 is added to the end insert begin insert Health and Safety
Code end insert begin insert , to read: end insert

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begin insert 1550.1. end insert   

The department shall deny an application for, or
suspend or revoke, any license, or any special permit, certificate
of approval, or administrator certificate, issued under this chapter,
or shall deny a transfer of a license pursuant to paragraph (2) of
subdivision (c) of Section 1524, upon a finding that the applicant
or licensee has impeded or inhibited mandated reporting duties
within the meaning of subdivision (i) of Section 11166 of the Penal
Code, or sanctioned a person making a report within the meaning
of that subdivision, or required an employee to disclose his or her
identity to the employer in violation of that subdivision.

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begin insert SEC. 2. end insert   

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begin insert Section 1554 of the end insert begin insert Health and Safety Code end insert begin insert is amended
to read: end insert

1554.  

Any license, registration, or special permit suspended
pursuant to this chapter, and any special permit revoked pursuant
to this chapter, may be reinstated pursuant to the provisions of
Section 11522 of the Government Code. begin insert This section does not
apply to a license, registration, or special permit that is suspended
or to a special permit that is revoked pursuant to Section 1550.1. end insert

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begin insert SEC. 3. end insert   

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begin insert Section 1556.5 is added to the end insert begin insert Health and Safety Code end insert begin insert ,
to read: end insert

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begin insert 1556.5. end insert   

(a) If the department, as a condition of licensure,
requires the chief executive officer or other authorized member of
the board of directors and the administrator of a foster family
agency to attend an orientation given by the licensing agency that
outlines the applicable rules and regulation for operation of a
foster family agency, that orientation shall include, but not be
limited to, a description of policies, procedures, or practices that
violate paragraph (1) or (2) of subdivision (i) of Section 11166 of
the Penal Code.

(b) If the department requires, as part of an application for
licensure for a foster family agency, a written plan of operation,
that plan of operation shall include a written plan establishing
policies, procedures, or practices to ensure that the foster family
agency does not violate paragraph (1) or (2) of subdivision (i) of
Section 11166 of the Penal Code.

(c) For purposes of this section, a foster family agency is defined
in paragraph (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 1502.

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begin insert SEC. 4. end insert   

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begin insert Section 10605.5 of the end insert begin insert Welfare and Institutions Code end insert
begin insert is amended to read: end insert

10605.5.  

(a) (1) The department, in consultation with counties
and labor organizations, shall establish, no later than January 1,
2016, a process to receive voluntary disclosures from social
workers, if a social worker has reasonable cause to believe that a
policy, procedure, or practice, related to the provision of child
welfare services by a county child welfare agency, meets any of
the following conditions:

(A) Endangers the health or well-being of a child or children.

(B) Is contrary to existing statute or regulation.

(C) Is contrary to public policy.

(2) Notwithstanding any other law, the department shall not
disclose to any person or entity the identity of a social worker
making a disclosure described in paragraph (1), unless (A) the
social worker has consented to the disclosure or (B) there is an
immediate risk to the health and safety of a child.

(b) The department shall make available a description of the
process established pursuant to subdivision (a) to counties and
labor organizations.

(c) For purposes of this section, “county child welfare agency”
includes a county welfare department, child welfare department,
and any other county agency that employs social workers and is
responsible for the placement and supervision of children and
youth in foster care, including department social workers contracted
by counties to perform direct adoption services.

(d) (1) No later than January 1, 2018, the department shall
report to the Legislature only the following information:

(A) The total number of relevant disclosures received from
social workers, including the month and year the disclosure was
received.

(B) A summary description of both of the following:

(i) The issues raised in the disclosures received from a social
worker.

(ii) The actions taken by the department in response to the
disclosures.

(2) No later than January 1, 2018, the department shall post on
its Internet Web site the information described in paragraph (1).

(3) The report required pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be
submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government
Code.

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(e) (1) Effective January 1, 2018, all of the duties imposed on
the department pursuant to subdivisions (a) and (b) shall apply
with respect to the receipt of voluntary disclosures from social
workers employed at a foster family agency, as defined in Section
1502 of the Health and Safety Code, including, but not limited to,
disclosures from social workers who have reasonable cause to
believe that a policy, procedure, or practice violates paragraph
(1) or (2) of subdivision (i) of Section 11166 of the Penal Code.

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(2) No later than July 1, 2019, the department shall report to
the Legislature only the following information:

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(A) The total number of relevant disclosures received from
social workers employed at foster family agencies, including the
month and year the disclosure was received.

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(B) A summary description of both of the following:

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(i) The issues raised in the disclosures received from a social
worker.

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(ii) The actions taken by the department in response to the
disclosures.

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(3) No later than July 1, 2019, the department shall post on its
Internet Web site the information described in paragraph (1).

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(4) The report required pursuant to paragraph (2) shall be
submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government
Code.

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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) A 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)  A 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 and 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) A 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 practicably 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) A 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 (43) 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 a 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.

(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)  (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.

(j)  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.

(k)  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.

(l) A person shall not impede or interfere with the making of a
report of suspected child abuse or neglect required under this
section. A person who intentionally impedes or interferes with a
report of suspected child abuse or neglect being made is guilty of
a misdemeanor, and may be liable for actual damages sustained
by a victim of child abuse or neglect for any abuse or neglect that
occurs after the person impeded or interfered with the report being
made.

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.

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