The Florida Senate

415.513  Penalties relating to abuse reporting.--

(1)  A person who is required by s. 415.504 to report known or suspected child abuse or neglect and who knowingly and willfully fails to do so, or who knowingly and willfully prevents another person from doing so, is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

(2)  A person who knowingly and willfully makes public or discloses any confidential information contained in the ¹central abuse registry and tracking system or in the records of any child abuse or neglect case, except as provided in ss. 415.502-415.514, is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

(3)  The department shall establish procedures for determining whether a false report of child abuse or neglect has been made and for submitting all identifying information relating to such a report to the appropriate law enforcement agency and the state attorney for prosecution.

(4)  A person who knowingly and willfully makes a false report of child abuse or neglect, or who advises another to make a false report, is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. Anyone making a report who is acting in good faith is immune from any liability under this subsection.

(5)  Each state attorney shall establish procedures to facilitate the prosecution of persons under this section.

History.--ss. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, ch. 63-24; s. 941, ch. 71-136; ss. 1, 1A, ch. 71-97; s. 32, ch. 73-334; s. 65, ch. 74-383; s. 1, ch. 75-101; s. 1, ch. 75-185; s. 4, ch. 76-237; s. 1, ch. 77-77; s. 3, ch. 77-429; ss. 1, 2, ch. 78-322; s. 3, ch. 78-326; s. 22, ch. 78-361; s. 1, ch. 78-379; s. 181, ch. 79-164; s. 1, ch. 79-203; s. 28, ch. 88-337; s. 56, ch. 90-306; s. 10, ch. 91-57; s. 21, ch. 91-71; s. 251, ch. 91-224; s. 10, ch. 93-25; s. 276, ch. 96-406.

¹Note.--Section 43, ch. 95-228, replaced the references to the central abuse registry and tracking system in s. 415.503 with references to a central abuse hotline.

Note.--Former ss. 828.041, 827.07(18).