House File 2329 - Introduced HOUSE FILE BY BERRY Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act relating to child abuse reporting requirements involving a 2 child sharing a residence with a person required to register 3 as a sex offender. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 5 TLSB 6165HH 81 6 jp/gg/14 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 232.68, subsection 2, paragraph i, Code 1 2 Supplement 2005, is amended to read as follows: 1 3 i.Cohabitation with a person on the sex offender registry 1 4 under chapter 692A in violation of section 726.6.The person 1 5 responsible for the care of the child allows an individual who 1 6 the person knows is required to register as a sex offender 1 7 under chapter 692A to share a residence with the child. For 1 8 the purposes of this paragraph, "residence" means the same as 1 9 defined in section 692A.1. This paragraph is applicable 1 10 without regard to the length of time or continuity of the 1 11 sharing of the residence. However, this paragraph is not 1 12 applicable if the individual required to register as a sex 1 13 offender is a child or minor over whom the person responsible 1 14 for the care of a child has custody or control, or if the 1 15 individual is married to and residing with the person. 1 16 EXPLANATION 1 17 This bill relates to child abuse reporting requirements 1 18 involving a child sharing a residence with a person required 1 19 to register as a sex offender by amending an element of the 1 20 definition of child abuse in Code section 232.68. This 1 21 definition is used for reporting of child abuse and 1 22 assessments of reports by the department of human services. 1 23 The element amended by the bill provides that cohabitation 1 24 with a person on the sex offender registry under Code chapter 1 25 692A in violation of Code section 726.6, relating to child 1 26 endangerment, is child abuse. 1 27 The bill is directed to the person responsible for the care 1 28 of the child, a defined term meaning the parent, guardian, 1 29 foster parent, relative or other person with whom the child 1 30 resides, or other persons providing care for the child. The 1 31 bill provides that it is child abuse if a person responsible 1 32 for the care of a child allows an individual who the person 1 33 knows is required to register as a sex offender to share a 1 34 residence with the child. An exception to the definition, 1 35 similar to the exception in the child endangerment law in Code 2 1 section 726.6, provides that child abuse does not include an 2 2 individual required to register as a sex offender if the 2 3 individual is a child or minor over whom the person 2 4 responsible for the care of a child has custody or control, or 2 5 if the individual is married to and residing with the person. 2 6 LSB 6165HH 81 2 7 jp:rj/gg/14