FILED ON: 11/20/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3803

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Thirteen

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An Act creating a task force to protect Massachusetts children against child sexual abuse.

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

In order to protect children in Massachusetts against child sexual abuse, there shall be established a task force on child sexual abuse prevention. Hereinafter referred to as “the Task Force”

The Task Force shall be co- chaired by the Child Advocate and the Executive Director of the Children’s Trust Fund and shall include one state representative appointed by the Speaker of the House and one state senator appointed by the Senate President,  the commissioner of the department of public health or his/her designee, the commissioner of department of early education and care or his/her designee, the commissioner of the department of children and families or his/her designee, the executive director of the Massachusetts office for victim assistance or his/her designee, the executive director of the Massachusetts District Attorneys Association or his/her designee, representatives from each of the following child and youth serving provider and advocacy organizations: the Alliance of Massachusetts YMCAs, the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, the Massachusetts Children's Alliance, Massachusetts Citizens for Children, the Children's League of Massachusetts, the Mass Mentoring Partnership, the Girl Scouts, The MA Alliance of Boys and Girls Clubs, Massachusetts Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers, Massachusetts Adolescent Sex Offender Coalition and representatives from child serving agencies  law enforcement, religious organizations and others as necessary to fulfill the purpose of the task force.

The Task Force shall develop guidelines and tools for the development of sexual abuse prevention and intervention plans by child and youth serving organizations. Said plans shall be required of all community based child and youth serving organization as a condition of licensure or receipt of State funding and by all child and youth serving organizations with one or more employees who are mandated reporters as defined in Chapter 119 section 51A beginning one year after the effective date of this act.

The Task Force shall recommend policies and procedures for implementation and oversight of this requirement as well as strategies for incentivizing other child and youth serving organizations to voluntarily develop and implement sexual abuse prevention and intervention plans. 

The task force shall also develop a five year plan for using community education and other strategies for increasing public awareness about child sexual abuse including how recognize signs, minimize risk and act on suspicions or disclosures.

The task force shall submit its recommendations to the Governor, the Senate President, the Speaker of the House and the chairs of the Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities 180 days after the effective date of this act and shall report annually thereafter on progress and to make additional recommendations as needed.