California 20252026 Regular Session Status: In Committee 1 D cosponsors

AB 970 — Child abuse and neglect reporting.

Last action — From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Assembly
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill is in committee in the Assembly. Introduced February 20, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee vote, then a floor vote in the Assembly.

Prognosis

Advancing 36% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Low

How often bills like it became law.

  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 1 sponsor

    1 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (1 D).

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 1 recorded vote so far.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Summary

Existing law, the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act, establishes procedures for the reporting and investigation of suspected child abuse or neglect. The act requires certain professionals, including specified health practitioners and social workers, known as "mandated reporters," to report by telephone known or reasonably suspected child abuse or neglect to a local law enforcement agency or a county welfare or probation department, as specified. Existing law authorizes a county welfare agency to develop a program for internet-based reporting of child abuse and neglect, as specified. Existing law authorizes a mandated reporter in a county where the program is active to use the internet-based reporting tool in lieu of the required initial telephone report. This bill would authorize the County of Los Angeles to establish a 2-year pilot program to test a new model for the mandatory reporting of child abuse or neglect. The bill would require the pilot program to include a comprehensive County of Los Angeles mandated reporter training that may be made available to all mandated reporters in the county. The bill would require the pilot program to also include the development and deployment of an internet-based decision-support tool, developed through a collaborative process with, among others, the State Department of Social Services, for mandated reporters who have completed that training. The bill would require the decision-support tool to, among other things, make a recommendation on whether or not to report and would prohibit the decision-support tool from using predictive analysis. The bill would, during the time the pilot program is in effect, deem a mandated reporter to have satisfied their reporting duties if the reporter completed the training, used the decision-support tool, and complied with the recommended action. The bill would shield a mandated reporter who satisfied their reporting duties pursuant to these provisions from civil liability or criminal penalty, and from penalties impacting their professional licenses, credentials, and certifications, for failing to report known or suspected child abuse or neglect, as well as the reporter's supervisor, employer, superior, or principal, as specified. The bill would repeal its provisions on January 1, 2030. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the County of Los Angeles.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.

  2. Died pursuant to Art. IV, Sec. 10(c) of the Constitution.

  3. In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.

  4. Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.

  5. Read second time and amended.

  6. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (April 8).

  7. Referred to Coms. on HUM. S. and PUB. S.

  8. From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.

  9. Read first time. To print.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 121 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (121)

121 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 121 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Subjects

public-safety civil-rights labor
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does AB 970 do?
Existing law, the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act, establishes procedures for the reporting and investigation of suspected child abuse or neglect. The act requires certain professionals, including specified health practitioners and social workers, known as "mandated reporters," to report by telephone known or reasonably suspected child abuse or neglect to a local law enforcement agency or a county welfare or probation department, as specified. Existing law authorizes a county welfare agency to develop a program for internet-based reporting of child abuse and neglect, as specified. Existing law authorizes a mandated reporter in a county where the program is active to use the internet-based reporting tool in lieu of the required initial telephone report. This bill would authorize the County of Los Angeles to establish a 2-year pilot program to test a new model for the mandatory reporting of child abuse or neglect. The bill would require the pilot program to include a comprehensive County of Los Angeles mandated reporter training that may be made available to all mandated reporters in the county. The bill would require the pilot program to also include the development and deployment of an internet-based decision-support tool, developed through a collaborative process with, among others, the State Department of Social Services, for mandated reporters who have completed that training. The bill would require the decision-support tool to, among other things, make a recommendation on whether or not to report and would prohibit the decision-support tool from using predictive analysis. The bill would, during the time the pilot program is in effect, deem a mandated reporter to have satisfied their reporting duties if the reporter completed the training, used the decision-support tool, and complied with the recommended action. The bill would shield a mandated reporter who satisfied their reporting duties pursuant to these provisions from civil liability or criminal penalty, and from penalties impacting their professional licenses, credentials, and certifications, for failing to report known or suspected child abuse or neglect, as well as the reporter's supervisor, employer, superior, or principal, as specified. The bill would repeal its provisions on January 1, 2030. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the County of Los Angeles.
Who sponsors AB 970?
AB 970 is sponsored by McKinnor, Tina (Democratic).
What is the current status of AB 970?
This bill is in committee in the Assembly. Introduced February 20, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track AB 970?
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