Child protection, notification
CHILD PROTECTION – Amends existing law to provide for notification to a local law enforcement agency when a report of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect is made to the Department of Health and Welfare.

RS30311 / S1095

In Idaho, local law enforcement and the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare (Idaho H&W) have different but vital roles when investigating and resolving complaints of child abuse. Idaho Code requires when a person makes a report of child abuse to law enforcement, that the law enforcement agency notify Idaho H&W of the reported abuse. However, there is no reciprocal requirement in Idaho Code for Idaho H&W to notify law enforcement when they are notified and law enforcement is not. This failure to send information from Idaho H&W to law enforcement means serious child abuse investigations may be delayed or even missed completely in some jurisdictions which creates a danger for Idaho’s abused children.

There is no fiscal impact as this is merely a call or e-mail to law enforcement.

Bill Events
Date Description
02/13 Introduced; read first time; referred to JR for Printing
02/14 Reported Printed; referred to Health & Welfare
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