CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.





                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                               Bill No. CS/HB 3883

    Amendment No. 3a (for drafter's use only)

                            CHAMBER ACTION
              Senate                               House
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 5                                           ORIGINAL STAMP BELOW

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 9

10                                                                

11  The Committee on Health & Human Services Appropriations

12  offered the following:

13

14         Amendment (with title amendment) 

15         On page 72, lines 14 through 23,

16  remove from the bill:  all of said lines,

17

18  and insert in lieu thereof:  appropriate law enforcement

19  agency and shall report annually to the Legislature the number

20  of reports referred the state attorney for prosecution.

21         (4)  If the department or its authorized agent has

22  determined after its investigation that a report is false, the

23  department shall, with the consent of the alleged perpetrator,

24  refer the report to the local law enforcement agency having

25  jurisdiction for an investigation to determine whether

26  sufficient evidence exists to refer the case for prosecution

27  for filing a false report as defined in s. 415.503.  During

28  the pendency of the investigation by the local law enforcement

29  agency, the local law enforcement agency must be notified of

30  all subsequent reports concerning children in that same family

31  in accordance with s. 415.505.  If the law enforcement agency

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    File original & 9 copies    04/15/98
    hfl0002                     10:18 am         03883-hhs -283009




                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                               Bill No. CS/HB 3883

    Amendment No. 3a (for drafter's use only)





 1  finds sufficient evidence for prosecution for filing a false

 2  report, it must refer the case to the appropriate state

 3  attorney for prosecution.

 4         (5)(4)  A person who knowing and willfully makes a

 5  false report of child abuse or neglect, or who advises another

 6  to make a false report, is guilty of a felony of the third

 7  misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s.

 8  775.082 or s. 775.083.  Anyone making a report who is acting

 9  in good faith is immune from any liability under this

10  subsection.

11         (6)(5)  Each state attorney shall establish written

12  procedures to facilitate the prosecution of persons under this

13  section, and shall report to the Legislature annually the

14  number of complaints that have resulted in the filing of an

15  information or indictment and the disposition of those

16  complaints under this section.

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18

19  ================ T I T L E   A M E N D M E N T ===============

20  And the title is amended as follows:

21         On page 2, line 13, after the semicolon,

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23

24  and insert:

25         deleting the requirement for the Department of

26         Children and Family Services to provide

27         information to the state attorney; providing

28         for the Department of Children and Family

29         Services to report annually to the Legislature

30         the number of reports referred to law

31         enforcement agencies; providing for

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    File original & 9 copies    04/15/98
    hfl0002                     10:18 am         03883-hhs -283009




                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                               Bill No. CS/HB 3883

    Amendment No. 3a (for drafter's use only)





 1         investigation by local law enforcement agencies

 2         of possible false reports; providing for law

 3         enforcement agencies to refer certain reports

 4         to the state attorney for prosecution;

 5         providing for law enforcement entities to

 6         handle certain reports of abuse or neglect

 7         during the pendency of such an investigation;

 8         providing procedures; specifying the penalty

 9         for knowingly and willfully making, or advising

10         another to make, a false report; providing for

11         state attorneys to report annually to the

12         Legislature the number of complaints that have

13         resulted in informations or indictments and the

14         disposition of those complaints;

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    File original & 9 copies    04/15/98
    hfl0002                     10:18 am         03883-hhs -283009