Creates penalty for failure to cooperate with child abuse investigations; upgrades penalties for failure to report child abuse.

This bill (S 4584) strengthens New Jersey's child abuse reporting laws by upgrading penalties for failing to report abuse and adding penalties for failing to cooperate with investigations. It upgrades failure to report general child abuse from a disorderly persons offense to a fourth-degree crime (up to 18 months in jail or $10,000 fine), and upgrades failure to report sexual abuse against children from a fourth-degree to a third-degree crime (3-5 years in jail or $15,000 fine). It also creates a new fourth-degree crime for knowingly failing to cooperate with child abuse or neglect investigations conducted by the Division of Child Protection and Permanency or designated agencies. These changes directly affect mandated reporters (like teachers, healthcare workers, and social workers) who have reasonable cause to believe child abuse occurred.