AB 1817 Summary

• Expands mandated reporters to include commercial computer technicians who encounter child sexual abuse material, requiring them to report to law enforcement agencies within specified timeframes.

• Allows employers providing electronic communications or remote computing services to comply with reporting requirements by following federal law (18 U.S.C. Section 2258A) instead of state-specific procedures.

• Grants immunity from civil and criminal liability to commercial computer technicians and their employers who provide computers or computer components to law enforcement pursuant to a warrant investigating suspected child abuse.

• Expands the definition of "commercial film and photographic print processor" to include processors of various digital image formats and establishes reporting requirements for suspected child sexual abuse material discovered during professional work.

• Establishes that failure to report by mandated reporters is a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in county jail, a fine of $1,000, or both, with no reimbursement required to local agencies for implementation costs.