Oregon Statutes 419B.010 – Duty of officials to report child abuse; exceptions; penalty
(1) Any public or private official having reasonable cause to believe that any child with whom the official comes in contact has suffered abuse or that any person with whom the official comes in contact has abused a child shall immediately report or cause a report to be made in the manner required in ORS § 419B.015. Nothing contained in ORS § 40.225 to 40.295 or 419B.234 (6) affects the duty to report imposed by this section, except that a psychiatrist, psychologist, member of the clergy, attorney or guardian ad litem appointed under ORS § 419B.231 is not required to report such information communicated by a person if the communication is privileged under ORS § 40.225 to 40.295 or 419B.234 (6). An attorney is not required to make a report under this section by reason of information communicated to the attorney in the course of representing a client if disclosure of the information would be detrimental to the client.
Terms Used In Oregon Statutes 419B.010
- Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
- Person: includes individuals, corporations, associations, firms, partnerships, limited liability companies and joint stock companies. See Oregon Statutes 174.100
(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1) of this section, a report need not be made under this section if the public or private official acquires information relating to abuse by reason of a report made under this section, or by reason of a proceeding arising out of a report made under this section, and the public or private official reasonably believes that the information is already known by a law enforcement agency or the Department of Human Services.
(3) The duty to report under this section is personal to the public or private official alone, regardless of whether the official is employed by, a volunteer of or a representative or agent for any type of entity or organization that employs persons or uses persons as volunteers who are public or private officials in its operations.
(4) The duty to report under this section exists regardless of whether the entity or organization that employs the public or private official or uses the official as a volunteer has its own procedures or policies for reporting abuse internally within the entity or organization.
(5) A person who violates subsection (1) of this section commits a Class A violation. Prosecution under this subsection shall be commenced at any time within 18 months after commission of the offense. [1993 c.546 § 14; 1999 c.1051 § 180; 2001 c.104 § 149; 2001 c.904 § 15; 2005 c.450 § 7; 2012 c.92 § 11]