Filing 2022 Initiative Update

Wanted to provide an update on 2022 filing with the Secretary of State to get this years Initiative of the People filed so we can start collecting signatures to update the law so "Any judge presiding over a Washington State legal proceeding shall be required to report Child Abuse allegations to Child Protective Services for investigation. (Mandatory Reporter)".

The final text has been approved and a copy of Initiative to the People is available at https://www.sos.wa.gov/_assets/elections/initiatives/FinalText_2493.pdf. We have the Certificate of Review as issued by the Code Reviser on file, and available at https://www.sos.wa.gov/_assets/elections/initiatives/2493_COR.docx.

We are awaiting Statement of Subject, Concise Statement and Summary of the Measure from the Attorney General which should be delivered in 5 days.

Did you know that 7 states already require judges to be mandatory reporters: Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, New Mexico, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia. Full list of mandatory reporters by state can be found at www.childwelfare.gov/Mandatory Reporters of Child Abuse and Neglect

One wonders why Washington State legislators are not immediately ensuring judges are reporting child abuse or neglect.