BP BHEAD INT S

AN ACT Relating to defining child abuse; and reenacting and amending RCW 26.44.020.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1. RCW 26.44.020 and 1993 c 412 s 12 and 1993 c 402 s 1 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:

For the purpose of and as used in this chapter:

(1) "Court" means the superior court of the state of Washington, juvenile department.

(2) "Law enforcement agency" means the police department, the prosecuting attorney, the state patrol, the director of public safety, or the office of the sheriff.

(3) "Practitioner of the healing arts" or "practitioner" means a person licensed by this state to practice podiatric medicine and surgery, optometry, chiropractic, nursing, dentistry, osteopathy and surgery, or medicine and surgery or to provide other health services. The term "practitioner" shall include a duly accredited Christian Science practitioner: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That a person who is being furnished Christian Science treatment by a duly accredited Christian Science practitioner shall not be considered, for that reason alone, a neglected person for the purposes of this chapter.

(4) "Institution" means a private or public hospital or any other facility providing medical diagnosis, treatment or care.

(5) "Department" means the state department of social and health services.

(6) "Child" or "children" means any person under the age of eighteen years of age.

(7) "Professional school personnel" shall include, but not be limited to, teachers, counselors, administrators, child care facility personnel, and school nurses.

(8) "Social service counselor" shall mean anyone engaged in a professional capacity during the regular course of employment in encouraging or promoting the health, welfare, support or education of children, or providing social services to adults or families, including mental health, drug and alcohol treatment, and domestic violence programs, whether in an individual capacity, or as an employee or agent of any public or private organization or institution.

(9) "Psychologist" shall mean any person licensed to practice psychology under chapter 18.83 RCW, whether acting in an individual capacity or as an employee or agent of any public or private organization or institution.

(10) "Pharmacist" shall mean any registered pharmacist under the provisions of chapter 18.64 RCW, whether acting in an individual capacity or as an employee or agent of any public or private organization or institution.

(11) "Clergy" shall mean any regularly licensed or ordained minister, priest or rabbi of any church or religious denomination, whether acting in an individual capacity or as an employee or agent of any public or private organization or institution.

(12) "Abuse or neglect" shall mean the injury, sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, negligent treatment, or maltreatment of a child, adult dependent, or developmentally disabled person by any person under circumstances which indicate that the child's or adult's health, welfare, and safety is harmed. Abuse includes breastfeeding an infant by a mother addicted to a controlled substance. An abused child is a child who has been subjected to child abuse or neglect as defined herein.

(13) "Child protective services section" shall mean the child protective services section of the department.

(14) "Adult dependent persons" shall be defined as those persons over the age of eighteen years who have been found to be legally incompetent or disabled pursuant to chapter 11.88 RCW.

(15) "Sexual exploitation" includes: (a) Allowing, permitting, or encouraging a child to engage in prostitution by any person; or (b) allowing, permitting, encouraging, or engaging in the obscene or pornographic photographing, filming, or depicting of a child by any person.

(16) "Negligent treatment or maltreatment" means an act or omission which evidences a serious disregard of consequences of such magnitude as to constitute a clear and present danger to the child's health, welfare, and safety.

(17) "Developmentally disabled person" means a person who has a disability defined in RCW 71A.10.020.

(18) "Child protective services" means those services provided by the department designed to protect children from child abuse and neglect and safeguard the general welfare of such children and shall include investigations of child abuse and neglect reports, including reports regarding child care centers and family child care homes, and the development, management, and provision of or referral to services to ameliorate conditions which endanger the welfare of children, the coordination of necessary programs and services relevant to the prevention, intervention, and treatment of child abuse and neglect, and services to children to ensure that each child has a permanent home. In determining whether protective services should be provided, the department shall not decline to provide such services solely because of the child's unwillingness or developmental inability to describe the nature and severity of the abuse or neglect.

(19) "Malice" or "maliciously" means an evil intent, wish, or design to vex, annoy, or injure another person. Such malice may be inferred from an act done in wilful disregard of the rights of another, or an act wrongfully done without just cause or excuse, or an act or omission of duty betraying a wilful disregard of social duty.

(20) "Sexually aggressive youth" means a child who is defined in RCW 74.13.075(1)(b) as being a "sexually aggressive youth."