BILL NUMBER: AB 776	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Chu

                        FEBRUARY 18, 2005

   An act to amend Section 11165.9 of the Penal Code, relating to
child abuse reporting.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 776, as introduced, Chu.   Child abuse reporting.
   Existing law requires certain persons to report incidents of
suspected child abuse to specified authorities by telephone and also
by written report. Existing law also requires certain agencies to
accept reports of suspected child abuse even if those agencies lack
jurisdiction to investigate, unless the agency can immediately refer
the report of suspected child abuse to the agency with proper
jurisdiction.
   This bill would specify that the agencies required to accept
reports of suspected child abuse submitted by mandated reports accept
telephone and written reports of suspected child abuse.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


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


  SECTION 1.  Section 11165.9 of the  Penal Code  is amended to read:

   11165.9.  Reports of suspected child abuse or neglect shall be
made by mandated reporters to any police department or sheriff's
department, not including a school district police or security
department, county probation department, if designated by the county
to receive mandated reports, or the county welfare department. Any of
those agencies shall accept a  written or telephone  report
of suspected child abuse or neglect whether offered by a mandated
reporter or another person, or referred by another agency, even if
the agency to whom the report is being made lacks subject matter or
geographical jurisdiction to investigate the reported case, unless
the agency can immediately electronically transfer the call to an
agency with proper jurisdiction. When an agency takes a report about
a case of suspected child abuse or neglect in which that agency lacks
jurisdiction, the agency shall immediately refer the case by
telephone, fax, or electronic transmission to an agency with proper
jurisdiction.