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House Judiciary opens hearing on bill that raises penalties for false child abuse reports
Summary
The House Judiciary Committee heard public testimony on SB 385A, which would escalate penalties for knowingly making false reports of child abuse; proponents described family custody disputes and harms to children and accused parents, while lawmakers asked for data on prevalence.
The House Committee on Judiciary opened a public hearing on Senate Bill 385A, which would increase criminal penalties for knowingly making false reports of child abuse, on a motion from the Senate floor that carried 27 yeas and three excused, Sen. Kim Thatcher told the committee.
Sen. Kim Thatcher, who presented the bill and identified herself as representing Senate District 11, said the measure would “elevate[] the severity of the offense from a class A violation to a class B misdemeanor for a first offense, a class A misdemeanor for a second offense, and a class C felony for a third or subsequent offense.” She said the measure “takes effect on the 90th day following adjournment sine die.”
The bill…
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