An Act To Require Church Officials To Report Suspected Abuse
Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 0309
Committee: Judiciary
Sponsors: BULL, SIMPSON, DUDLEY, O'BRIEN, BRENNAN
Amends: 22 MRSA §3477, 22 MRSA §4011-A

Legislative Document 
No. 309 
H.P.252 
House of Representatives, January 28, 2003 
An Act To Require Church Officials To Report Suspected Abuse 
Reference to the Committee on Judiciary suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Representative BULL of Freeport. 
Cosponsored by Representative SIMPSON of Auburn and 
/Yl~ 
111.7l/ac~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: DUDLEY of Portland, O'BRIEN of Augusta, Senator: BRENNAN of 
Cumberland. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §3477, sub-§I, ,A, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 
345, §3, is amended to read: 
A. 
While acting in a professional capacity: 
(1) 
An allopathic or osteopathic physician; 
(2) 
A medical intern; 
(3) 
A medical examiner; 
(4) 
A physician's assistant; 
(5) 
A dentist; 
(6 ) 
A chiropractor; 
(7) 
A podiatrist; 
(8 ) 
A registered or licensed practical nurse; 
(9) 
A certified nursing assistant; 
(10) 
A social worker; 
( 11) 
A psychologist; 
(12) 
A pharmacist; 
(13 ) 
A physical therapist; 
(14 ) 
A speech therapist; 
(15) 
An occupational therapist; 
(16) 
A mental health professional; 
(17) 
A law enforcement official; 
(18) 
A coroner; 
(19) 
Emergency room personnel; 
(20) 
An ambulance attendant; 
(21) 
An emergency medical technician; 9F 
(22) 
Unlicensed assistive personnel; 9F 
Page l-LR0452(1) 
(23) 
A clergy member 
acg:u~r~ng the information as a 
result 
of 
clerical 
professional 
work 
except 
for 
information 
received 
during 
confidential 
communications: or 
(24) 
An 
official of 
a 
church 
or 
other 
religious 
institution 
or 
association 
other 
than 
a 
person 
described in subparagraph (23); or 
Sec. 2. 22 MRSA §4011-A, sub-§l, ,A, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 
345, §5, is amended to read: 
A. 
When acting in a professional capacity: 
(1) An allopathic or osteopathic physician, resident or 
intern; 
(2) 
An emergency medical services person; 
(3) 
A medical examiner; 
(4) 
A physician's assistant; 
(5) 
A dentist; 
(6) 
A dental hygienist; 
(7) 
A dental assistant; 
(8) 
A chiropractor; 
(9) 
A podiatrist; 
(10) A registered or licensed practical nurse; 
(11) 
A teacher; 
(12) 
A guidance counselor; 
(13) 
A school official; 
(14) 
A 
chi Idren ' s 
summer 
camp 
administrator 
or 
counselor; 
(15) 
A social worker; 
(16) 
A court-appointed special advocate or guardian ad 
litem for the child; 
(17) 
A homemaker; 
(18) 
A home health aide; 
(19) 
A medical or social service worker; 
(20) 
A psychologist; 
(21) 
Child care personnel; 
(22) 
A mental health professional: 
(23) 
A law enforcement official; 
(24) 
A state or municipal fire inspector; 
(25) 
A municipal code enforcement official; 
(26) 
A 
commercial 
film 
and 
photographic 
print 
processor; 
(27) 
A clergy member acquiring the information as a 
result 
of 
clerical 
professional 
work 
except 
for 
information 
received 
during 
confidential 
communications; 
e~ 
(28) 
A chair of a professional licensing board that 
has jurisdiction over mandated reporters; or 
(29) 
An 
official 
of 
a 
church 
or 
other 
religious 
institution 
or 
association 
other 
than 
a 
person 
described in subparagraph (27); or 
SUMMARY 
Current 
law requires specified persons to report to the 
Department of Human Services when they know or have reasonable 
cause to suspect that a child has been or is likely to be abused 
or neglected. 
Current law also requires specified persons to 
report to the Department of Human Services when they suspect that 
an adult has been abused, neglected or exploited and the person 
has reasonable cause to suspect the adult is incapacitated or 
dependent. 
This bill amends both those laws to require officials 
of 
a 
church or other religious institution or association to 
report the suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation. 
Current law requires clergy to report known or suspected 
child abuse or neglect. 
This bill adds clergy to the list of 
mandated reporters of adult abuse, neglect or exploitation.