HB 1412: Reporting of child abuse or neglect. - Indiana

House Bill (H) → House Bill (S) · 6 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates the reporting requirements for suspected child abuse and neglect, clarifying when staff duties can be delegated and increasing penalties for failure to report. It also removes provisions related to the ombudsman office and adds new requirements for providers to distribute written materials about reporting duties to employees and volunteers.

Scope change

The bill's scope shifted from primarily focusing on the ombudsman's complaint investigation powers to emphasizing provider responsibilities for distributing reporting information and strengthening enforcement penalties for failure to report abuse.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the date of the bill from January 30, 2025 to February 6, 2025, reflecting updated legislative history and committee actions.

Updated the digest synopsis to clarify that reporting duties can only be delegated under specific conditions and added a new felony penalty for repeat offenders who fail to report suspected abuse.

Deleted extensive provisions regarding the ombudsman office's powers to investigate complaints, review policies, and provide reports to complainants.

Added new requirements for providers to distribute written materials about child abuse reporting duties to all employees and volunteers.

ENFORCEMENT

Modified the penalty structure to include a Level 6 felony for staff who fail to report abuse if they have a prior conviction for failure to report.

DEFINITION

Changed the statute citation from IC 4-13-19-5 (ombudsman) to IC 12-17.2-3.5-8.5 (provider reporting requirements).

Enrolled House Bill (H) → House Bill (H) · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill strengthens child abuse reporting requirements by clarifying that medical and healthcare staff have a non-delegable duty to immediately report suspected abuse to both child services and law enforcement. It increases penalties for failure to report from a Class B to Class A misdemeanor and adds specific investigative requirements when staff are alleged abusers.

Scope change

The bill expands the applicability of reporting requirements to staff of medical institutions, medical facilities, and other healthcare facilities, and clarifies that the duty to report cannot be delegated except under specific conditions involving the child's care team.

REQUIREMENT

Added a non-delegable duty for healthcare staff to report child abuse immediately to both child services and law enforcement, with limited exceptions for care team members who personally provided care.

ENFORCEMENT

Increased the penalty for failure to report suspected child abuse from a Class B misdemeanor to a Class A misdemeanor.

Added requirement for local law enforcement to investigate whether institutions or agencies knew about alleged abuse when staff members are named as abusers.

DEFINITION

Modified the scope of who must report child abuse to include staff of medical institutions, medical facilities, and other healthcare facilities.

TIMELINE

Set the effective date for these changes to July 1, 2025.

Engrossed House Bill (H) → Enrolled House Bill (H) · 3 edits · May 1, 2025

MINOR

This bill transitions from an 'Engrossed' version to an 'Enrolled' version, which is the final, official version ready for signing into law. The substantive policy content remains the same, with no changes to the actual legislative provisions, only formatting and version status updates.

TECHNICAL

Changed document title from 'Engrossed House Bill No. 1412' to 'House Enrolled Act No. 1412', indicating the bill has passed both houses and is ready for the governor's signature.

Updated header information to reflect 'Enrolled' status with new printing codes and formatting conventions for the final enrolled version.

Removed sponsor names and committee action history that was present in the engrossed version but is no longer needed in the final enrolled version.

Introduced House Bill (H) → Engrossed House Bill (H) · 4 edits · Apr 7, 2025

MODERATE

This bill amends Indiana's child abuse reporting laws and related statutes to clarify reporting duties, strengthen enforcement, and update legal citations. The changes affect medical and healthcare facilities, schools, and other organizations by specifying who must report suspected abuse and under what circumstances. The bill also clarifies that a child is not considered a 'child in need of services' if a parent raises the child consistent with the child's biological sex.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of reporting requirements to include situations where staff members, coaches, or volunteers are alleged abusers, requiring law enforcement to investigate whether the institution knew about the abuse and failed to report it.

REQUIREMENT

Clarified that an individual's duty to report suspected child abuse or neglect may only be delegated to another person if certain conditions are met.

ENFORCEMENT

Added requirement that law enforcement must investigate whether an institution, school, or facility knew about alleged abuse by staff or volunteers and failed to report it.

DEFINITION

Added provision stating a child is not a 'child in need of services' due to a parent raising the child consistent with the child's biological sex.

TECHNICAL

Updated legal citations to reflect current Indiana Code sections and added effective date of July 1, 2025.

Reporting of child abuse or neglect.

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