BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 1432
Page 1
CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 1432 (Gatto)
As Amended August 4, 2014
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: |66-5 |(May 28, 2014) |SENATE: |31-3 |(August 20, |
| | | | | |2014) |
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Original Committee Reference: ED.
SUMMARY : Requires annual mandated reporter training of all
school district, county office of education (COE), charter
school, state special school and diagnostic center personnel
within the first six weeks of each school year or within six
weeks of employment; and, requires the California Department of
Education (CDE) in consultation with the Department of Social
Services (DSS) to develop and disseminate information on child
abuse; develop guidance on mandated reporter responsibilities
and reporting requirements; and, develop a means of instructing
school personnel.
The Senate amendments specify that the State Department of
Social Services shall develop appropriate means of instructing
school personnel in the detection of child abuse and neglect and
the proper action that school personnel should take in suspected
cases of child abuse and neglect, including, but not limited to,
an online training module.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, California Department of Education (CDE):
Potentially significant one-time costs, likely in the tens of
thousands of dollars, to coordinate with the Department of
Social Services (DSS) to update the DSS training module,
disseminate information to schools, and provide guidance on the
new requirements. Minor ongoing workload to provide annual
guidance. DSS: Minor and absorbable workload to coordinate
with the CDE to update the online training module. Mandate:
Substantial reimbursable mandate for all schools to annually
train employees on their duties as mandated reporters.
COMMENTS : This bill requires annual mandated reporter training
of all school district, COE, charter school, state special
school and diagnostic center personnel within the first six
AB 1432
Page 2
weeks of each school year or within six weeks of employment.
Requires CDE and DSS to develop and disseminate information to
all school districts, COEs and charter schools on child abuse;
develop guidance on mandated reporter responsibilities and
reporting requirements; and, develop a means of instructing
school personnel.
According to the author, "In recent years, there has been an
alarming increase in incidents of unreported child abuse where
one or more additional school employees were aware of the
incident - illustrating gaping holes in these mandated
reporters' knowledge of CANRA [California Child Abuse Neglect
Reporting Act]. In the Redwood City School District, a teacher
was arrested in the abuse of two five-year-old special needs
students. In the wake of this horrible incident, five staff
members were fired for failing to report the abuse despite their
knowledge of it."
Further the author states, "Despite the Child Abuse and Neglect
Reporting Act's clear reporting requirements, school districts
are merely 'encouraged' rather than required to provide
employees who qualify as mandated reporters with training on
either abuse identification or abuse reporting. The absence of
training is a failure of our system that leaves millions of
students at risk every single day."
Analysis Prepared by : Chelsea Kelley / ED. / (916) 319-2087
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