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S.B. 115

Failed

Child and Animal Abuse Cross-reporting Amendments

SB0115S01 (Substitute)

Sen. Jen Plumb
Sen. Jen PlumbBill Sponsor
Rep. Steve Eliason
Rep. Steve EliasonFloor Sponsor
View on le.utah.gov
S.B. 115Failed

Child and Animal Abuse Cross-reporting Amendments

Senate
House
Governor

What This Bill Does

This bill addresses cross-reporting between instances of child abuse and animal abuse.

Key Provisions

This bill:

  • requires the courts to report information about certain animal abuse convictions to the Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS);
  • requires an animal control officer to notify DCFS in certain circumstances;
  • clarifies that a DCFS caseworker may report instances of potential animal abuse or neglect; and
  • prohibits an employer preventing or retaliating against a veterinarian for reporting suspected animal cruelty.

Plain-Language Summary

AI-generated summary. We recommend consulting the bill text for important decisions.

Recognizing the well-documented link between animal abuse and child abuse, this bill creates a system of cross-reporting between child welfare and animal control authorities. Courts must report animal cruelty convictions to the Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS) quarterly, and animal control officers must notify DCFS when they encounter a child in a home where they're investigating animal abuse or taking serious enforcement action. In turn, DCFS caseworkers investigating child abuse may report suspected animal abuse to animal control, and DCFS may notify animal control when it finds child abuse in a home where animals are present. The bill also prohibits employers from blocking or retaliating against veterinarians who report suspected animal cruelty.