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Mandatory Child Abuse Reporting Legislative History
Updated through the 130th Legislature

Introduction

22 MRS §4011-A requires adults in over 30 professions to "immediately report or cause a report to be made to the department when the person knows or has reasonable cause to suspect that a child has been or is likely to be abused or neglected or that a suspicious child death has occurred." This legislative history traces this statute to its origin in 1965.





Browse by Session Law:  


Year LD Amendments Session Law MRS
Sections
Affected
Legislative Record
Debate & Remarks
Other Documents & News Clips Full LD
History
1965 LD 574

An Act to Provide Protection for Physically Abused Children
Enacted with amendments:

S-26
S-35
PL 1965, c. 68 Enacted:
22 MRS §3852
House, March 2, 1965
p. 559-561
N/A N/A
1973 LD 1569

An Act to Provide Elected District Attorneys
Enacted with amendment:

S-183
PL 1973, c. 567, §20 Wherever in the Revised Statutes and the public laws the words "county attorney" appear they shall mean "district attorney." Senate, June 1, 1973
p. 3649

House, June 12, 1973
p. 4131-4132

Senate, June 28, 1973
p. 4941-4942
News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. N/A
1975 LD 201

An Act Relating to Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse or Neglect

OTP-ND:
LD 1680
Enacted with amendments:

H-161
S-73
PL 1975, c. 167 Repealed and replaced:
22 MRS §§3851-3855
House, April 15, 1975
p. B527-B530

Senate, April 16, 1975
p. B561-B563

Senate, April 17, 1975
p. B593-B594
N/A N/A
1975 LD 1394

An Act Redesignating the Department of Health and Welfare as the Department of Human Services and the Bureau of Human Services as the Bureau of Resource Development
Enacted with amendment:

S-117
PL 1975, c. 293, §4 Wherever in the Maine Revised Statutes the words "Department of Health and Welfare" appear, they shall mean the "Department of Human Services." Wherever in the Maine Revised Statutes the words "Commissioner of Health and Welfare" appear, they shall mean the "Commissioner of Human Services." No debate.N/A N/A
1976 LD 2078

An Act to Amend the Mandatory Reporting Law on Child Abuse and Neglect
Enacted with amendment:

H-968
PL 1975, c. 678 Amended:
22 MRS §3853
No debate. News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. N/A
1977 LD 1122

An Act to Amend the Child Abuse and Neglect Laws
Enacted with amendments:

H-798
H-883
S-283
S-297
S-368
PL 1977, c. 511 Repealed and replaced:
22 MRS §3853
House, June 23, 1977
p. 1965
News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. N/A
1980 LD 1906

An Act Establishing the Child and Family Services and Child Protection Act
Enacted with amendments:

H-882
H-959
S-474
PL 1979, c. 733 Enacted:
22 MRS §4011

Repealed:
22 MRS §3853
House, March 12, 1980
p. 400-401

Senate, March 18, 1980
p. 511
News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. N/A
1983 LD 1085

An Act to Amend the Child and Family Services and Child Protection Act
Enacted with amendment:

H-232
PL 1983, c. 354 Amended:
22 MRS §4011(1)
No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
1985 LD 1386

An Act to Protect Abused Children
Enacted with amendment:

H-426
PL 1985, c. 495 Enacted:
22 MRS §4011(1-A)

Amended:

22 MRS §4011(1)
No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.

News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.
Yes
1986 LD 1768

An Act Concerning Emergency Medical Services Personnel
N/A PL 1985, c. 530 Amended:
22 MRS §4011(1)
No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.

News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.
Yes
1986 LD 2233

An Act to Improve Child Welfare Services in Maine
Enacted with amendment:

H-653
 PL 1985, c. 739 Amended:
22 MRS §4011(1)
Senate, April 9, 1986
p. 1183-1185
N/A Yes
1986 LD 2441

An Act Making Corrections of Errors and Inconsistencies in the Laws of Maine
N/A PL 1985, c. 819, §25 Repealed and Replaced:
22 MRS §4011(1)
No debate.N/A Yes
1988 LD 2468

An Act to Promote More Effective Investigations of Child Abuse Allegations in Out-ofHome Settings
Enacted with amendment:

H-682
PL 1987, c. 744 Amended:
22 MRS §4011(1)
No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
1989 LD 415

An Act to Amend the Child and Family Services and Child Protection Act and the Law Governing Shelters for Children
Enacted with amendments:

H-201
H-322
PL 1989, c. 270 Amended:
22 MRS §4011(1)
No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
1990 LD 2227

An Act to Amend the Child and Family Services and Child Protection Act
Enacted with amendment:

H-952
PL 1989, c. 819 Amended:
22 MRS §4011(1)
No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
1997 LD 527

An Act to Strengthen the Mandatory Child Abuse Reporting Laws
Enacted with amendment:

H-346
 PL 1997, c. 251 Amended:
22 MRS §4011(1)
No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
1999 LD 88

An Act to Add to the List of Mandatory Reporters of Suspected Child Abuse Children's Summer Camp Employees
Enacted with amendment:

H-441
PL 1999, c. 300 Amended:
22 MRS §4011(1)
22 MRS §4011(1-A)
No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
2001 LD 1066

An Act to Protect Children and Elderly or Incapacitated Adults
Enacted with amendment:

H-498
PL 2001, c. 345 Enacted:
22 MRS §4011-A

Repealed:
22 MRS §4011
No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
2003 LD 274

An Act to Correct Errors and Inconsistencies in the Laws of Maine
Enacted with amendments:

H-593
H-596
PL 2003, c. 510, Pt. E-3 Repealed and replaced:
22 MRS §4011-A(1)(A)
No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
2003 LD 309

An Act To Require Church Officials To Report Suspected Abuse
Enacted with amendment:

H-197
PL 2003, c. 210 Enacted:
22 MRS §4011-A (1)(C)

Amended:
22 MRS §4011-A(1)(A), (B)
No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
2003 LD 1098

An Act Regarding Mandated Reporters and Child Abuse
Enacted with amendment:

S-84
PL 2003, c. 145 Amended:
22 MRS §4011-A(1)(A)
No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
2004 LD 1897

An Act To Make Emergency Changes to Recent Law
Enacted with amendment:

S-416
PL 2003, c. 599, §8 Repealed and replaced:
22 MRS §4011-A(1)(A)
Senate, March 9, 2004
p. S-1351-S-1352
N/A Yes
2007 LD 584

An Act Concerning Animal Control Officers as Mandated Reporters of Abuse
Enacted with amendment:

H-173
PL 2007, c. 139 Enacted:
22 MRS §4011-A(1-A)
No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.

News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.
Yes
2007 LD 583

An Act To Permit Medical and Social Service Professionals To Report Animal Cruelty
Enacted with amendment:

H-172
PL 2007, c. 140 Enacted:
22 MRS §4011-A(6)
No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
2008 LD 2000

An Act To Authorize the Department of Health and Human Services To Investigate Suspicious Deaths of Children
Enacted with amendment:

S-552
PL 2007, c. 586 Amended:
22 MRS §4011-A(1)-(4)
No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
2008 LD 2243

An Act To Increase the Number of Mandated Reporters of Abuse, Neglect or Exploitation
Enacted with amendment:

H-870
 PL 2007, c. 577 Amended:
22 MRS §4011-A(1)(A)
No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
2009 LD 427

An Act To Require School Bus Drivers and School Bus Attendants To Report Suspected Child Abuse
N/A PL 2009, c. 41 Amended:
22 MRS §4011-A(1)(A)
No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
2009 LD 479

An Act To Recognize Maine Youth Camps
Enacted with amendment:

S-148
PL 2009, c. 211, §B-18 Amended:
22 MRS §4011-A(1)(A)
No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
2012 LD 1746

An Act To Make Supplemental Appropriations and Allocations...for the Fiscal Years Ending June 30, 2012 and June 30, 2013
Enacted with amendments:

H-974
S-572
S-587
S-589
PL 2011, c. 657, §W-5 Wherever in the Maine Revised Statutes the words "Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources" or "Department of Conservation" appear or reference is made to either or both of those departments with reference to the duties transferred to the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry as set forth in this Act, they are amended to read or mean, as appropriate, "Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry." The Revisor of Statutes shall implement this revision when updating, publishing or republishing the statutes. House, May 15, 2012
p. H-1544-H-1562

Senate, May 15, 2012
p. S-2281-S-2294
Report:  New Pension Plan Design and Implementation Plan (Mar. 2012)

Report:  Equalization of MaineCare Reimbursement Rates: Inpatient Substance Abuse vs. Inpatient Psychiatric Treatment (July 2012)

Report:  Maine Public Employees Retirement System Report on PL 2011, c. 657 - Retirement Plan Implementation (Jan. 15, 2013)

Report:  Maine Public Employees Retirement System New State/Teacher Plan 2: New State/Teacher Retirement Plan Report to the Legislature: Proposed Legislation and Implementation Plan (May 6, 2013)

Report:  Commission to Study the Public Reserved Lands Management Fund. Report (Dec. 2015)

Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.

News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.
Yes
2013 LD 1523

An Act To Strengthen the Laws Governing Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse or Neglect
Enacted with amendment:

H-388
PL 2013, c. 268 Enacted:
22 MRS §4011-A(7)
No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
2015 LD 199

An Act To Improve the Reporting of Child Abuse
Enacted with amendment:

S-93
PL 2015, c. 117 Amended:
22 MRS §4011-A(1), (2)

No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
2015 LD 483

An Act Regarding the Reporting Standards for Child Abuse
Enacted with amendment:

H-193
PL 2015, c. 178 Amended:
22 MRS §4011-A(7)
House, June 15, 2015
p. H-816-H-817

Senate, June 15, 2015
p. S-1041-S-1042
Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes
2015 LD 1342

An Act To Prohibit Unauthorized Custody Transfers of Children
Enacted with amendment:

H-410
PL 2015, c. 274 Enacted:
22 MRS §4011-A(8)
House, April 30, 2015
p. H-364

House, June 30, 2015
p. H-1123-H-1124

Senate, June 30, 2015
p. S-1365
Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.

News Clips:  Please contact a Reference Librarian.
Yes
2016 LD 622

An Act To Require Training of Mandated Reporters under the Child Abuse Laws
Enacted with amendment:

S-378
PL 2015, c. 407 Enacted:
22 MRS §4011-A(9)
No debate. Committee File:  Please contact a Reference Librarian. Yes