SB347 Summary

• Amends definitions of "neglect" under the Arkansas Juvenile Code and Child Maltreatment Act to require that failure to protect a child from abuse or neglect must cause serious bodily injury to constitute neglect.

• Adds "grooming" as a form of sexual abuse, defined as knowingly disseminating sexually explicit content to children 13 years or younger to entice sexual activity, with an affirmative defense if the actor is not more than 3 years older than the victim.

• Requires the Child Abuse Hotline to accept reports from medical providers concerning children 11 years or younger with documented evidence of pregnancy or sexually transmitted disease, even without other evidence of maltreatment.

• Establishes "triage procedures" allowing the Department of Human Services and Division of Arkansas State Police to document and assign reports of child maltreatment for children not at imminent risk, reducing mandatory investigation requirements.

• Replaces "protection plan" language with "immediate safety plan" throughout child welfare statutes and requires reassessment within 30 days, with dependency-neglect petitions filed only if substantial risk of serious harm remains.