If you are involved with or volunteer for a charity providing services to kids, there is a new bill moving through the legislature that you need to know about.
The bill expands mandatory reporters of child abuse to include volunteers at nonprofit organizations. Failure to report is a crime punishable by imprisonment for 6 months, a fine of up to $1,000, or both. But you are not the only one with new responsibilities in this regard. Nonprofits will be required to provide child abuse and neglect identification training to volunteers and employees who are mandated reporters.
The bill also requires the CA Franchise Tax Board to revoke the exemption of any organization in which an employee, administrator, volunteer or other mandatory reporter is found guilty of failing to report. The bill states that this action is needed to stop nonprofit organizations from “concealing, fostering, or failing to report abuse of children.”
The bill is listed as urgent and will take effect immediately if passed.