HB 1612 (2022)
Modify how an identity is kept secret in a report of child abuse, penalizing bad faith reports
As introduced, this bill required that the court appoint a guardian ad litem in child protection cases in which there is also an ongoing divorce proceeding. The House removed that part of the bill.
This bill then makes various changes to how the state handles information about someone who makes a report of child or abuse or neglect. First, this bill requires that all individuals making reports of child abuse or neglect to the Department of Health and Human Services include their name, address, and phone number. Second, this bill makes it a misdemeanor to make false reports and creates civil penalties for knowingly making false reports of abuse and neglect. Lastly, this bill provides that the identity of any person reporting suspected child abuse or neglect shall be fully confidential unless the report is in bad faith or maliciously and with intent to cause harm.
