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83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2025 Regular Session
Senate Bill 385
Sponsored by Senator THATCHER; Senator WEBER, Representatives LEVY B, RESCHKE (Presession filed.)
SUMMARY
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject
to consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor’s brief statement of the essential features of the
measure as introduced.The statement includes a measure digest written in compliance with applicable readability
standards.
Digest: The Act increases the penalty for making a false report of child abuse. (Flesch Read-
ability Score: 63.4).
Modifies the offense of making a false report of child abuse.Punishes a first or second offense
by a maximum of 364 days’ imprisonment, $6,250 fine, or both. Punishes a third or subsequent offense
by a maximum of five years’ imprisonment, $125,000 fine, or both.
Takes effect on the 91st day following adjournment sine die.
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to false reports of child abuse; creating new provisions; amending ORS 419B.016; and pre-
scribing an effective date.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1. ORS 419B.016 is amended to read:
419B.016. (1) A person commits the [offense] crime of making a false report of child abuse if[,
with the intent to influence a custody, parenting time, visitation or child support decision,] the person:
(a) Makes a false report of child abuse to the Department of Human Services or a law enforce-
ment agency, knowing that the report is false; or
(b) With the intent that a public or private official make a report of child abuse to the Depart-
ment of Human Services or a law enforcement agency, makes a false report of child abuse to the
public or private official, knowing that the report is false.
(2) Making a false report of child abuse is a Class A [violation] misdemeanor for a first or
second offense, and a Class C felony for a third or subsequent offense .
SECTION 2.The amendments to ORS 419B.016 by section 1 of this 2025 Act apply to false
reports of child abuse made on or after the effective date of this 2025 Act.
SECTION 3.This 2025 Act takes effect on the 91st day after the date on which the 2025
regular session of the Eighty-third Legislative Assembly adjourns sine die.
NOTE:Matter in boldfaced type in an amended section is new; matter [italic and bracketed] is existing law to be omitted.
New sections are in boldfaced type.
LC 1233