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Lawmaker Hopes To Fix Glitch In Child Abuse Reporting Law

Last year, Florida lawmakers put a new law on the books that expands the requirement for reporting child abuse in the state. But, the measure contained a glitch that resulted in double reports in some cases, and one lawmaker is hoping to fix that.

Republican Senator Rob Bradley has filed a bill to correct a couple of unintended consequences of the law that requires all Floridians to report all known and suspected child abuse cases to the Florida Abuse Hotline. He says since the law took effect last year, it’s increased the number of calls to the center, but law enforcement and the Florida Department of Children and Families have also been taking unnecessary actions.

“For instance, the Sheriff’s office already knew of the incident, yet DCF [Florida Department of Children and Families] was having to report it yet again. And, conversely the Sheriff’s office was requiring to report things to DCF that DCF already knew about,” said Bradley.

Essentially, Bradley’s bill clarifies that DCF does not have to resend reports about child abuse to law enforcement officers that were initiated by law enforcement and vice versa. Bradley filed the bill on behalf of the Florida Sheriff's Association.

For more news updates, follow Sascha Cordner on twitter @SaschaCordner.

Sascha Cordner has more than ten years of public radio experience. It includes working at NPR member station WUFT-FM in Gainesville for several years. She's worked in both radio and TV, serving in various capacities as a reporter, producer and anchor. She's also a graduate of the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in telecommunications. She is the recipient of 15 awards from the Associated Press, Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), and Edward R. Murrow. Her award-winning stories include her coverage on the infamous “Dozier School for Boys” and a feature titled "Male Breast Cancer: Lost in the Sea of Pink." Currently, Sascha serves as the host and producer of local and state news content for the afternoon news program "All Things Considered" at WFSU. Sascha primarily covers criminal justice and social services issues. When she's not reporting, Sascha likes catching up on her favorite TV shows, singing and reading. Follow Sascha Cordner on Twitter:@SaschaCordner.