HB301 Alabama 2013 Session

Under existing law, certain entities and persons are required to report known or suspected child abuse or neglect

This bill would include physical therapists and employees of public and private institutions of postsecondary and higher education as persons required to report

This bill would clarify that school employees, teachers, and officials at both public and private K-12 schools are required to report

This bill would also provide that any public or private employer who disciplines or penalizes an employee for reporting suspected child abuse or neglect is guilty of a Class C misdemeanor Amendment 621 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, now appearing as Section 111.05 of the Official Recompilation of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended, prohibits a general law whose purpose or effect would be to require a new or increased expenditure of local funds from becoming effective with regard to a local governmental entity without enactment by a 2/3 vote unless: it comes within one of a number of specified exceptions; it is approved by the affected entity; or the Legislature appropriates funds, or provides a local source of revenue, to the entity for the purpose

The purpose or effect of this bill would be to require a new or increased expenditure of local funds within the meaning of the amendment. However, the bill does not require approval of a local governmental entity or enactment by a 2/3 vote to become effective because it comes within one of the specified exceptions contained in the amendment

To amend Section 26-14-3, Code of Alabama 1975, relating to the mandatory reporting of known or suspected child abuse or neglect; to include physical therapists and employees of public and private institutions of postsecondary and higher education as persons required to report; to clarify that both public and private school employees, teachers, and officials are required to report; to provide that any public or private employer who disciplines or penalizes an employee for reporting suspected child abuse or neglect is guilty of a Class C misdemeanor; and in connection therewith would have as its purpose or effect the requirement of a new or increased expenditure of local funds within the meaning of Amendment 621 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, now appearing as Section 111.05 of the Official Recompilation of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended.