HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 701        FILED ON: 1/12/2009

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 120

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act establishing a toll free hotline for the use of foster children reporting cases of abuse or mistreatment..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1.  Chapter 12 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 11L the following  section:—

            Section 11M. The department of the attorney general, in cooperation with the department of state police, shall establish and maintain a toll-free hotline, so-called, to receive calls from children being provided foster care by the department of social services in any type of setting. The state police shall forthwith investigate any charges of abuse or mistreatment. All information received shall be considered confidential but may be shared with appropriate public officers and agencies.