House passes bill on urgent reporting of child abuse

By: Wesley P. Hester | Richmond Times-Dispatch
Published: January 20, 2012

A bill reducing the time limit for reporting suspected child abuse or neglect unanimously passed the House of Delegates today.

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 makes 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 it needs to develop licensure regulations for behavioral analysts treating children with autism spectrum disorder.

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. "I think it must be fair for all Virginians if we're going to enact such legislation."

Cox also said he could not support an "unfunded mandate."

Greason reminded the House that it was not reconsidering last year's bill, but correcting it with legislation that "simply promotes good government."