Child-abuse reporting measure advances
A bill reducing the time limit for reporting suspected child abuse or neglect unanimously passed the House of Delegates on Friday.
House Bill 74, sponsored by Del. Richard P. "Dickie" Bell, R-Staunton, would reduce from 72 hours to 24 hours the amount of time that a person has to report suspected abuse of a child.
The bill also would make a language change to require that anyone "having reason to suspect a reportable offense" do so. Currently, a person is required to report an offense on "his first suspicion."
The House also passed a fix to last year's autism insurance mandate, which requires health insurers to cover some treatments for autistic children ages 2 to 6. House Bill 1106, introduced by Del. Thomas A. "Tag" Greason, R-Loudoun, would give the Board of Medicine the power to develop licensure regulations for behavioral analysts treating children.
The bill directs the board to develop the regulations within 280 days and creates a work group of industry experts to help the board with the regulations.
The bill passed 96-1, with Del. John A. Cox, R-Hanover, the lone dissenting vote.
Cox, who did not support last year's legislation, said he could not, as a matter of conscience, support the amendment.
"It's discriminatory," he said, noting that the mandate only applies to businesses with more than 50 employees.
Measure would fight adoption bias
A battle over whether child-placement agencies should be allowed to discriminate against prospective parents and children based on their sexual orientation has moved to the General Assembly.
Sen. Adam P. Ebbin, D-Alexandria, has introduced legislation that would bar Virginia from contracting with or funding agencies that discriminate against children or otherwise eligible prospective foster or adoptive parents solely on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, family status, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity.
The Virginia Board of Social Services last month finalized regulations that strip out protections against discrimination based on personal factors, including gender, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and family status. They are to take effect May 1.
Sen. Jeff McWaters and Del. C. Todd Gilbert have introduced "conscience clause" bills that would reinforce the Department of Social Services regulations and protect private, faith-based child-placement agencies.
The measures would allow private organizations to deny placement if doing so would go against their religious beliefs — including opposition to homosexuality.
From staff and wire reports
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