JEFFERSON CITY — Today (7-9), the governor signed into law House Bill 1092, which modifies the time frames relating to child abuse and neglect investigations. The bill was handled in the Senate by Sen. Bob Dixon, R-Springfield, and sponsored in the House by Rep. Bill Lant, R-Pineville. Both bills sought to address judicial interpretations of the state’s child abuse and neglect investigation statutes. 

"This is a common-sense measure to keep our youngest citizens safe," said Sen. Dixon. "The protection of children requires our cooperation and best efforts, whether it be clarifying existing laws or providing the necessary support to front-line workers who investigate abuse and neglect."

HB 1092 provides clear time frames in statute for child abuse or neglect investigations, as well as defining the “good cause” exception for those deadlines with greater clarity. In addition, it allows flexibility in complex cases involving sexual abuse, death, or near-fatal injury. 

The bill is also part of ongoing efforts on the part of two committees on which Sen. Dixon serves – the Joint Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect and the Task Force on the Prevention of Sexual Abuse of Children – to improve protection for vulnerable children in Missouri.  In recent years, those efforts have prompted not only the passage of HB 1092, but also:

• HB 505 (2013), which made changes to Missouri’s child sex abuse reporting law;
• HJR 16 (2013), which proposed a constitutional amendment to permit certain types of evidence in sex crimes involving minors (Amendment 2 on the 2014 November ballot); and
• HB 2011 (2014), which increased state funding for Children’s Division workers’ pay and training and technology upgrades to better equip investigators.   

For more information on these bills or other legislative work done by Sen. Dixon, visit his website at www.senate.mo.gov/dixon.