Committee hears sharply divided testimony on penalizing knowingly false child-abuse reports

Summary

House Bill 243, which would allow criminal or civil penalties for knowingly false reports to DCYF and would add penalties for some mandated reporters, drew strong support from people who described being harmed by malicious reports and sharp opposition from child-advocacy groups that warned of a chilling effect on reporting.

The Children and Family Law Committee heard more than two hours of testimony on House Bill 243, which would create criminal and civil liability for knowingly false reports of suspected child abuse or neglect and would add a misdemeanor penalty for some professional mandatory reporters who fail to report.

Representative James Spillane, who introduced the bill, described personal experience with anonymous calls that prompted late-night police knock-and-requests and said the measure is intended to discourage malicious repeat callers who "use it as a form of swatting." He emphasized that the bill would not eliminate anonymous reporting but would allow penalties where a person "knowingly false with intent to harm" files repeated malicious reports.

Supporters who testified included grandparents and relatives who said false reports had caused prolonged trauma and disrupted family life. Stacy Tarosian, who…

Committee hears sharply divided testimony on penalizing knowingly false child-abuse reports

Summary

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