Child abuse or neglect: reports.

Existing law, the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act, requires a mandated reporter to report whenever they know or reasonably suspect that a child has been the victim of child abuse or neglect. Existing law also authorizes any other person to report known or suspected child abuse or neglect. Under existing law reports of suspected child abuse or neglect are made to any police department, sheriff's department, county probation department, if designated by the county to receive mandated reports, or county welfare department. This bill would require an agency that receives a report of known or suspected child abuse to take specified actions including requiring an investigator to make contact with the person who made the report and visit the child, who is the subject of the report, in person to determine if the child should be removed from the home during the pendency of an investigation into a report of child abuse or neglect. By imposing additional duties on local agencies investigating reports of child abuse or neglect, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.