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H236 • 2025

An Act relative to training of mandated reporters

An Act relative to training of mandated reporters

Children
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Carole A. Fiola
Last action
2025-10-15
Official status
Accompanied a new draft, see H4599
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act relative to training of mandated reporters

An Act relative to training of mandated reporters By Representative Fiola of Fall River, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.

What This Bill Does

  • An Act relative to training of mandated reporters By Representative Fiola of Fall River, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
  • 236) of Carole A.
  • Fiola and John R.
  • Gaskey relative to mandated reporting of child neglect.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2025-10-15 House

    Accompanied a new draft, see H4599

  2. 2025-06-27 Joint

    Hearing scheduled for 07/08/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in A-1

  3. 2025-02-27 House

    Referred to the committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities

  4. 2025-02-27 Senate

    Senate concurred

Official Summary Text

An Act relative to training of mandated reporters
By Representative Fiola of Fall River, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 236) of Carole A. Fiola and John R. Gaskey relative to mandated reporting of child neglect. Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
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Bill H.236

SECTION 1. Section 51A of Chapter 119 of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out subsection (k) and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:-

(k) A mandated reporter who is professionally licensed by the commonwealth shall complete training at least every two years to recognize and report suspected child abuse or neglect. The training shall have a curriculum that has been approved by the Office of the Child Advocate.

SECTION 2: Section 5 of Chapter 18C of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following subsection:-

(i) The child advocate shall be responsible for approving curricula for mandated reporter trainings in accordance with M.G.L. c. 119 § 51A(k). Such curricula shall include, but not be limited to, recognition of the signs of child neglect or abuse and related reporting requirements, bias and cultural considerations in reporting, information on how to address concerns with families and children when those concerns do not rise to the level of requiring a maltreatment report, information about connecting families with needed supports and resources and how to understand what qualifies as neglect.

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