May 3, 2012, Introduced by Senators PROOS, WARREN, BOOHER, HOPGOOD, HANSEN, BRANDENBURG, JONES, NOFS, EMMONS, WHITMER, GREGORY, ANDERSON, YOUNG and MARLEAU and referred to the Committee on Health Policy.
A bill to amend 1975 PA 238, entitled
"Child protection law,"
(MCL 722.621 to 722.638) by adding section 12b.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 12b. (1) The task force on the prevention of sexual abuse
of children is created within the department.
(2) The governor shall appoint members to the task force in
consultation with the department. Members of the task force must be
individuals who are actively involved in the fields of prevention
of child abuse and neglect and child welfare. The appointment of
members must reflect the geographic diversity of this state.
(3) The task force shall elect a presiding officer by a
majority vote of its membership. The task force shall meet at the
call of the presiding officer. The task force shall make
recommendations for reducing child sexual abuse in this state. In
making those recommendations, the task force shall do all of the
following:
(a) Gather information concerning child sexual abuse
throughout this state.
(b) Receive reports and testimony from individuals, state and
local agencies, community-based organizations, and other public and
private organizations.
(c) Review steps taken and programs established in other
states to reduce child sexual abuse.
(d) Create goals for state policy that are aimed at preventing
child sexual abuse.
(e) Submit a final report with the task force's
recommendations to the governor and the legislature not later than
180 days after the members of the task force are appointed.
(4) The recommendations described under subsection (3) may
include proposals for specific statutory changes and methods to
foster cooperation among state agencies and between the state and
local government.
(5) The task force shall consult with the employees of the
department who work on child protection matters, the department of
state police, the state board of education, and any other state
agency or department necessary to accomplish the task force's
responsibilities under this section.
(6) The members of the task force shall serve without
compensation and shall not be reimbursed for their expenses.
(7) The task force shall be abolished upon submission of the
final report required in subsection (3) to the governor and the
legislature.
(8) Upon written request from a child or the child's parent or
legal guardian, that child shall be excused, without penalty, from
participating in the task force's information-gathering efforts.
(9) As used in this section, "task force" means the task force
on the prevention of sexual abuse of children created in subsection
(1).