This week, I want to take a moment to discuss the importance of April being designated as Child Abuse Prevention Month. Since 1983, April has been designated as Child Abuse Prevention Month. In 2017, 5,141 Missouri children were involved in substantiated claims of abuse or neglect. Even worse, 32 Missouri children died as a result of abuse or neglect during the same year. Just one child dying from abuse or neglect is too many; as a result my colleagues and I are dedicated to passing meaningful legislation intended to stop child abuse and neglect in Missouri.
Senate Bill 850 makes several changes to state law regarding records involving children. The legislation makes it easier for the state’s Children’s Division and other state agencies to share information regarding child abuse or neglect investigations. The legislation also includes language allowing for the sharing of information between states. Many of the reforms in SB 850 are a result of the death of Adrian Jones, a Kansas boy who was killed by his father and stepmother in 2015. The family moved between Kansas and Missouri, and many believe his death could have been prevented if the states could have shared information regarding his abuse. In addition, the legislation requires the Children’s Division to retain all information regarding a child abuse investigation for 10 years, even if there is insufficient evidence of abuse or neglect. The legislation also requires the division to retain all investigation records involving a missing child alleged to have been abused or neglected for 18 years. These common-sense reforms provide the state with the tools needed to expose and prosecute individuals who abuse our children.
In addition, House Bill 1350 makes several changes to state law regarding background checks for child care providers. This legislation includes language requiring all licensed child care providers and their employees to pass a nationwide criminal background check in order to operate in Missouri. Currently, only home child care providers that receive federal funds are required to pass a federal background check. While this legislation is necessary for Missouri to remain in compliance with the Child Care Development Block Grant Act, I believe requiring all child care workers to pass a nationwide criminal background check is vital to ensuring the safety of thousands of Missouri children who attend daycare facilities. This background check requirement would apply to anyone coming into contact with a child at a daycare facility, including all employees, contractors and volunteers. The legislation allows newly employed child care workers to begin working as soon as they apply for the background check, but they must be supervised at all times until the check is completed.
The safety of all Missouri children is a top priority for every lawmaker in the Missouri General Assembly. I believe these legislative proposals present common-sense solutions designed to protect our state’s children and equip law enforcement and state officials with the tools needed to identify and stop child abuse. I am hopeful that these proposals will reach the legislative finish line before the end of the 2018 legislative session.
Federal lawmakers in Washington, D.C., recently passed legislation aiming to protect children. Congresswoman Ann Wagner, R-Missouri, introduced legislation giving local, state and federal prosecutors more legal ground to go after internet sites that host communications offering sex trafficking. The legislation also changes a section in the 1996 Communications Decency Act that was designed to protect websites from being held liable for the speech of others.
The “Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017,” amends the Communications Decency Act by specifically allowing criminal and civil actions against a website if its conduct violates federal sex trafficking laws. The act also defines a participant as someone “knowingly assisting, supporting or facilitating a violation,” and authorizes state attorney generals to file suit in federal court. On April 11, the legislation was sent to the president and he signed it into law.
Thank you for reading this weekly column. Please contact my office at (573) 751-3678 if you have any questions.