HLS 18RS-801 ORIGINAL
2018 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 371
BY REPRESENTATIVE CHANEY
CHILDREN/ABUSE: Provides relative to reporting of child abuse and neglect
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact Children's Code Article 610(A), relative to reports of child abuse and
3 neglect; to provide for reporting procedure for permitted and mandatory reporters;
4 and to provide for related matters.
5Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1. Children's Code Article 610(A) is hereby amended and reenacted to read
7as follows:
8 Art. 610. Reporting procedure; report to the legislature
9 A.(1) Reports of child abuse or neglect or that such was a contributing factor
10 in a child's death, where the abuser is believed to be a parent or caretaker, a person
11 who maintains an interpersonal dating or engagement relationship with the parent or
12 caretaker, or a person living in the same residence with the parent or caretaker as a
13 spouse whether married or not, shall be made immediately to the department.A
14 permitted reporter shall make a report through the designated state child protection
15 reporting hotline telephone number, in person at any child welfare office, or
16 immediately by phone to any state child welfare office. A mandatory reporter shall
17 make a report through the designated state child protection reporting hotline
18 telephone number, via the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services
19 Mandated Reporter Portal, in person at any state child welfare office, or
20 immediately by phone to any state child welfare office. Reports in which the abuse
Page 1 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 18RS-801 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 371
1 or neglect is believed to be perpetrated by someone other than a caretaker, a person
2 who maintains an interpersonal dating or engagement relationship with the parent or
3 caretaker, or a person living in the same residence with the parent or caretaker as a
4 spouse whether married or not, and the caretaker is not believed to have any
5 responsibility for the abuse or neglect shall be made immediately to a local or state
6 law enforcement agency. Dual reporting to both the department through the
7 designated state child protection reporting hotline telephone number and the local or
8 state law enforcement agency is permitted.
9 (2) A report made to the department by facsimile does not relieve the
10 reporter of his duty to report in accordance with Subsections A(1) or D.
11 * * *
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 371 Original 2018 Regular Session Chaney
Abstract: Revises reporting procedure of child abuse and neglect in the La. Children's
Code for permitted and mandatory reporters.
Present law requires that permitted reporters report child abuse or neglect through the Dept.
of Children and Family Services (DCFS) reporting hotline.
Proposed law adds that permitted reporters shall report in person at any child welfare office
or immediately by phone to any state child welfare office.
Proposed law adds that mandatory reporters shall make a report through the designated state
child protection reporting hotline telephone number, via the DCFS Services Mandated
Reporter Portal, in person at any state child welfare office, or immediately by phone to any
state child welfare office.
Proposed law adds child abuse or neglect reports by fax do not relieve reporters from their
duty to report by hotline, in person, or by phone.
(Amends Ch. C. Art. 610(A))
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.