Substitute Bill No. 381 Summary

• Expands mandatory reporting requirements to include school employees reporting crimes by other school employees against students, including sexual assault and exploitation offenses (sections 53a-70, 53a-70a, 53a-71, 53a-72a, 53a-72b, 53a-73a).

• Allows mandated reporters to conduct preliminary inquiries before making reports to determine if reasonable cause exists, without requiring certainty or probable cause.

• Establishes criminal penalties for failure to report child abuse or neglect: Class A misdemeanor for failure to report, Class E felony if violation is subsequent, willful, intentional, grossly negligent, or involved actual knowledge of abuse.

• Requires the Department of Children and Families to develop a policy for assessing mandated reporters' failures to report within prescribed timeframes and notify the Chief State's Attorney of substantiated failures.

• Mandates training updates by October 1, 2024 for school employees on conducting preliminary inquiries and allows preliminary inquiries not to be considered formal board of education investigations.