ASSEMBLY EDUCATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

[First Reprint]

SENATE, No. 641

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  NOVEMBER 26, 2018

      The Assembly Education Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 641 (1R).

Under current law, a person who has reasonable cause to believe that an act of child abuse has been committed is required to notify the Division of Child Protection and Permanency.  Failure to report abuse to the division is a disorderly persons offense.  This bill clarifies that the notification requirement includes acts of child sexual abuse, and upgrades the failure to report an act of child sexual abuse to a crime of the fourth degree.

     The penalty for a disorderly persons offense is a term of imprisonment for up to 6 months, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.  The penalty for a fourth degree crime is up to 18 months imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000, or both. 

As reported by the committee, this bill is identical to Assembly Bill No. 850 with Assembly committee amendments, which also was reported by the committee on this same date.