Summary: SF 221 (renumbered as SF 517) – Child Abuse Reporting Involving School Employees
Overview
- Purpose: Strengthen how child abuse allegations involving employees or agents of public and nonpublic schools are reported, reviewed, and acted upon, with new data-sharing and licensing consequences through the Board of Educational Examiners (BOEE) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
- Introduced: February 5, 2025
- Status: Committee approved and renumbered as SF 517 (March 5, 2025)
Key Provisions
- Expanded definition of responsible party: Employees and agents of public or nonpublic schools are added to the definition of “a person responsible for the care of a child” for reporting purposes.
- HHS role and Board notifications:
- If the alleged perpetrator is a school employee/agent and holds a BOEE license/certification/authorization/recognition, HHS must report the results of the child abuse assessment to the BOEE and issue a finding that the alleged abuse meets the definition of child abuse.
- The bill requires corresponding notice to the school board (public district) or the authorities of a nonpublic school when the alleged perpetrator is a school employee under the board’s or authorities’ purview.
- Minimum procedures and reporting rules:
- HHS, in consultation with the Department of Education, must adopt rules establishing minimum procedures for boards and authorities to handle reports of abuse by a school employee.
- Rules must require: (a) schools to report all alleged child abuse by a school employee to HHS; and (b) schools to report to law enforcement if the alleged abuse would, if true, constitute a criminal act harming a child.
- Data access and use:
- BOEE may access child abuse disposition data concerning individuals who hold BOEE licenses/certifications/authorizations/recognitions.
- Boards and authorities may access disposition data concerning individuals employed by them or being considered for employment.
- Licensing actions:
- The BOEE must deny or revoke a license/certification/authorization/statement of recognition for individuals who have been found to meet the definition of child abuse.
Who Is Affected
- Employees and agents of public and nonpublic schools (and the schools themselves)
- Boards of education and nonpublic school authorities
- The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
- The Board of Educational Examiners (BOEE)
Procedural and Timeline Aspects
- Subcommittee process occurred in February 2025 (Feb 11, 17, 20) with a recommended amendment and passage.
- Committee action occurred March 5, 2025, with renumbering to SF 517.
- The bill emphasizes ongoing interagency coordination (HHS, BOEE, Department of Education) and specified notice requirements to relevant school governance bodies.
Potential Impact
- Enhanced accountability for school employees found to engage in child abuse through licensing actions.
- Increased interagency data sharing to support investigations and regulatory actions.
- Expanded reporting obligations for schools, including to law enforcement when applicable.
- Possible privacy and data-access considerations given new disposition data sharing between HHS, BOEE, and school entities.
