House File 138 HOUSE FILE BY McCARTHY and SMITH Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act revising the criteria for mandatory reporting of child 2 abuse. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 1529HH 80 5 jp/sh/8 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 232.69, subsection 1, paragraph b, 1 2 unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2003, is amended to read as 1 3 follows: 1 4 Any of the following persons who,inwhile performing 1 5 within the scope of professional practice or in their 1 6 employment responsibilities,examines, attends, counsels, or 1 7 treats a child and reasonably believeshas reasonable cause to 1 8 believe a child has suffered abuse: 1 9 EXPLANATION 1 10 This bill revises the criteria for mandatory reporting of 1 11 child abuse. 1 12 Under current law, the mandatory reporting requirement 1 13 applies to various professionals and caregivers who examine, 1 14 attend, counsel, or treat a child in the scope of professional 1 15 practice or employment responsibilities and reasonably 1 16 believes a child has suffered abuse. The bill expands the 1 17 circumstances under which reporting is required by striking 1 18 the requirement for the reporter to examine, attend, counsel, 1 19 or treat a child in their professional practice or employment 1 20 responsibilities in order to be required to report abuse. 1 21 Current law provides that a mandatory reporter's knowing 1 22 and willful failure to report abuse is a simple misdemeanor. 1 23 LSB 1529HH 80 1 24 jp/sh/8 1 25 1 26 1 27 1 28 1 29 1 30 1 31 1 32 1 33 1 34 1 35