MCL - Section 722.633

CHILD PROTECTION LAW (EXCERPT)
Act 238 of 1975


722.633 Failure to report suspected child abuse or neglect; damages; violation as misdemeanor; unauthorized dissemination of information as misdemeanor; civil liability; maintaining report or record required to be expunged as misdemeanor; false report of child abuse or neglect.

Sec. 13.

    (1) A person who is required by this act to report an instance of suspected child abuse or neglect and who fails to do so is civilly liable for the damages proximately caused by the failure.
    (2) A person who is required by this act to report an instance of suspected child abuse or neglect and who knowingly fails to do so is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 93 days or a fine of not more than $500.00, or both.
    (3) Except as provided in section 7, a person who disseminates, or who permits or encourages the dissemination of, information contained in the central registry and in reports and records made as provided in this act is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 93 days or a fine of not more than $100.00, or both, and is civilly liable for the damages proximately caused by the dissemination.
    (4) A person who willfully maintains a report or record required to be expunged under section 7 is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 93 days or a fine of not more than $100.00, or both.
    (5) A person who intentionally makes a false report of child abuse or neglect under this act knowing that the report is false is guilty of a crime as follows:
    (a) If the child abuse or neglect reported would not constitute a crime or would constitute a misdemeanor if the report were true, the person is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 93 days or a fine of not more than $100.00, or both.
    (b) If the child abuse or neglect reported would constitute a felony if the report were true, the person is guilty of a felony punishable by the lesser of the following:
    (i) The penalty for the child abuse or neglect falsely reported.
    (ii) Imprisonment for not more than 4 years or a fine of not more than $2,000.00, or both.


History: 1975, Act 238, Eff. Oct. 1, 1975 ;-- Am. 1978, Act 252, Eff. Mar. 30, 1979 ;-- Am. 1984, Act 418, Eff. Mar. 29, 1985 ;-- Am. 1988, Act 372, Eff. Mar. 30, 1989 ;-- Am. 1993, Act 56, Imd. Eff. June 9, 1993 ;-- Am. 1994, Act 393, Imd. Eff. Dec. 29, 1994 ;-- Am. 1996, Act 309, Eff. Jan. 1, 1997 ;-- Am. 2002, Act 14, Imd. Eff. Feb. 19, 2002