ADOPTED 3/5/04

6220-S2 AMH QUAL MORR 003

2SSB 6220 - H AMD

By Representative Quall

   Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:

   "NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 28A.400 RCW to read as follows:

   (1) A certificated or classified school employee who has knowledge or reasonable cause to believe that a student has been a victim of physical abuse or sexual misconduct by another school employee, shall report such abuse or misconduct to the appropriate school administrator. The school administrator shall cause a report to be made to the proper law enforcement agency if he or she has reasonable cause to believe that the misconduct or abuse has occurred as required under RCW 26.44.030. During the process of making a reasonable cause determination, the school administrator shall contact all parties involved in the complaint.

   (2) Certificated and classified school employees shall receive training regarding their reporting obligations under state law in their orientation training when hired and then every three years thereafter. The training required under this subsection shall take place within existing training programs and related resources.

   (3) Nothing in this section changes any of the duties established under RCW 26.44.030."

EFFECT: Instead of adding a new section to the education code referencing existing mandatory reporting duties for suspected child abuse and neglect, the new section requires certificated and classified school employees to report to a school administrator if they have knowledge or reasonable cause to believe that a student has been the victim of physical abuse or sexual misconduct by another school employee. The administrator will contact all parties to the complaint and report to the appropriate authorities if he or she has reasonable cause to believe that abuse has occurred. The training requirements for school employees are clarified, and nothing in the current child abuse reporting statute is changed.