September 3, 2013, Introduced by Rep. Kurtz and referred to the Committee on Families, Children, and Seniors.
A bill to amend 1975 PA 238, entitled
"Child protection law,"
by amending section 12b (MCL 722.632b), as added by 2012 PA 593.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 12b. (1) The task force on the prevention of sexual abuse
of children is created within the department.
(2) The governor shall appoint members to the task force in
consultation with the department. The appointment of members must
reflect the geographic diversity of this state. Members of the task
force must include the following:
(a) Individuals who have experience and expertise in the
fields of intervention and prevention of child abuse and neglect,
education, or child welfare.
(b) A representative from the Michigan coalition to end
domestic and sexual violence.
(c) A representative from the Michigan domestic and sexual
violence prevention and treatment board.
(d) A representative from the Michigan chapter of the national
children's alliance.
(e) An administrator or staff member of a child assessment
center.
(f) A licensed therapist trained to counsel or treat child
sexual abuse victims.
(g) A circuit court judge or his or her designee.
(h) A school district board member, intermediate school
district board member, or public school academy board member.
(3) The department director or his or her designee shall serve
as the task force's presiding officer. The task force shall meet at
the call of the presiding officer. The task force shall make
recommendations for reducing child sexual abuse in this state. The
task force shall also make recommendations for school policies that
address the sexual abuse of children. In making those
recommendations, the task force shall do all of the following:
(a) Gather information concerning child sexual abuse
throughout this state.
(b) Receive reports and testimony from individuals, state and
local agencies, community-based organizations, and other public and
private organizations.
(c) Review steps taken and programs established in other
states to reduce child sexual abuse.
(d) Create goals for state policy that are aimed at preventing
child sexual abuse.
(e) Create recommendations and guidelines for school policies
addressing sexual abuse of children according to section 1505 of
the revised school code, 1976 PA 451, MCL 380.1505. These
recommendations and guidelines shall be flexible enough to allow
accommodation for local autonomy and values.
(f) Create recommendations and guidelines for age-appropriate,
evidence-based child sexual abuse awareness.
(g) Create recommendations and guidelines for school personnel
to respond appropriately to pupils affected by sexual abuse.
(h) Create recommendations and guidelines for providing
educational material to parents and guardians on the warning signs
of child sexual abuse and information on assistance and referrals
or resources.
(i) Develop a child sexual abuse protocol to be utilized by
all community partners in order to help to identify, prevent, and
investigate child sexual abuse.
(j) Submit a final report with the task force's
recommendations to the governor and the legislature not later than
365 days after the members of the task force are appointed.
(4) The recommendations described under subsection (3) may
include proposals for specific statutory changes and methods to
foster cooperation among state agencies and between the state and
local government.
(5) The task force shall consult with the employees of the
department who work on child protection matters, the department of
state police, the state board of education, and any other state
agency or department necessary to accomplish the task force's
responsibilities under this section.
(6)
The members of the task force shall serve without
compensation
and shall not be reimbursed for their expenses.
(6) (7)
The task force shall be abolished
upon submission of
the final report required in subsection (3) to the governor and the
legislature.
(7) (8)
Upon written request from a child
or the child's
parent or legal guardian, that child shall be excused, without
penalty, from participating in the task force's information-
gathering efforts.
(8) (9)
As used in this section, "task
force" means the task
force on the prevention of sexual abuse of children created in
subsection (1).