ENROLLED
ACT No. 207
2018 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 371
BY REPRESENTATIVE CHANEY
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact Children's Code Article 610(A) and (D), relative to reports of child
3 abuse and neglect; to provide for the reporting procedure for permitted and
4 mandatory reporters; and to provide for related matters.
5 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1. Children's Code Article 610(A) and (D) are hereby amended and
7 reenacted to read as 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 or in person at any child welfare office. A
16 mandatory reporter shall make a report through the designated state child protection
17 reporting hotline telephone number, via the Louisiana Department of Children and
18 Family Services Mandated Reporter Portal online, or in person at any child welfare
19 office. Reports in which the abuse or neglect is believed to be perpetrated by
20 someone other than a caretaker, a person who maintains an interpersonal dating or
21 engagement relationship with the parent or caretaker, or a person living in the same
22 residence with the parent or caretaker as a spouse whether married or not, and the
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HB NO. 371 ENROLLED
1 caretaker is not believed to have any responsibility for the abuse or neglect shall be
2 made immediately to a local or state law enforcement agency. Dual reporting to both
3 the department through the designated state child protection reporting hotline
4 telephone number and the local or state law enforcement agency is permitted.
5 (2) A report made to the department by facsimile does not relieve the
6 reporter of his duty to report in accordance with the applicable requirements of this
7 Article.
8 * * *
9 D. If the initial report was in oral form by a mandatory reporter, it shall be
10 followed by a written report made within five days to the local child protection unit
11 of the department via the online Mandated Reporter Portal of the department or by
12 mail to the centralized intake unit of the department at the address provided on the
13 website of the department; or, if necessary, to the local law enforcement agency.
14 The reporter may use a form for the written report, which shall be developed,
15 approved, and made available by the Department of Children and Family Services.
16 The form is optional and may be available electronically on the department's website.
17 * * *
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.