Third California Lawmaker Seeks Child Abuse Reporting Law For Coaches
SACRAMENTO (CBS13/AP) — Another California state lawmaker has announced he will seek legislation next year responding to the Penn State child molestation scandal surrounding a former football coach.
Assemblyman Roger Dickinson became the third Democrat to announce Monday he wants to require organizations that employ athletic coaches, administrators and directors to provide training on identifying child abuse and neglect. They would also learn to identify improper contact with a minor and report suspicions.
Dickenson, of Sacramento, says current mandatory reporting laws leave out athletic coaches, administrators and directors.
"It does seem like it should be obvious, doesn't it?" Dickinson said at a news conference Monday."And yet that's what makes the statistic - that 88 percent of sexual abuse cases go unreported to the appropriate authorities - so shocking. The fact is what seems obvious doesn't occur."
State Sen. Juan Vargas of San Diego said last month that he plans a similar bill.
A bill by Assemblyman Ricardo Lara of Bell Gardens would end nonprofits' tax-exempt status if they are caught concealing, fostering or failing to report the sexual abuse of children.
(Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.)
