HB1542

House Bill 1542 modifies the Child Maltreatment Act in Arkansas by expanding the definition of mandated reporters to include any person 18 years or older who observes child abuse, sexual abuse, or sexual exploitation. It introduces new penalties for these newly defined mandated reporters if they fail to report such observations, classifying the failure as a Class D felony or Class A misdemeanor depending on the circumstances. The bill provides a legal exception for individuals who are victims of domestic or sexual violence committed by the same offender they observed abusing a child. Furthermore, it significantly extends the statute of limitations for prosecuting mandated reporters who fail to notify authorities, setting it to 10 years after the victim turns 18. The bill also restricts the use of certain reporting methods and places requirements on the closure of investigations involving anonymous reports.