SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1364        FILED ON: 1/18/2013

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 47

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Katherine M. Clark

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

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

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1364        FILED ON: 1/18/2013

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 47

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 protection with a specific focus on child sexual abuse prevention.

This task force shall be co-chaired by one state representative appointed by the Speaker of the House and one state senator appointed by the Senate President, and shall include but not be limited to 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 Children’s Trust Fund 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, and representatives from law enforcement, religious organizations and others as necessary to fulfill the purpose of the task force.

The task force shall review current child sexual abuse prevention initiatives, existing mandates and guidelines for community based child and youth serving organizations regarding sexual abuse prevention and response systems, and examine barriers which inhibit individual adults from taking action when they are concerned about a particular child or group of children, for the purpose of making specific recommendations for enhancing prevention efforts and improving institutional, community and individual responses to children who are at risk.

The task force shall submit its recommendations to the Senate President and the Speaker of the House and the chairs of the Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities on or before November 15, 2013. Said recommendations shall include but not be limited to minimum child sexual abuse prevention standards to be met by community based child and youth serving organizations in Massachusetts, and strategies for educating adults and communities about child sexual abuse and how and when to take appropriate intervention steps.