HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 698        FILED ON: 1/12/2009

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1261

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act relative to establishing criminal liability for certain actions of employees of the Department of Social Services..

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

     Section 51B of chapter 119 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:—

    Any employee of the department shall be liable for criminal prosecution for child endangerment by the act of screening out any report for abuse or neglect received under section 51A brought against a foster home or residential placement where the department has placed a child without referral to law enforcement.

  Such employee may also face administrative sanctions in the form of suspension, termination or revocation of license.