Arkansas Code of 1987 (2023) › Title 12 - LAW ENFORCEMENT, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, AND MILITARY AFFAIRS (§§ 12-1-101 — 12-88-109) › Subtitle 2 - LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AND PROGRAMS (§§ 12-6-101 — 12-20-301) › Chapter 18 - CHILD MALTREATMENT ACT (§§ 12-18-101 — 12-18-1202) › Subchapter 3 - CHILD ABUSE HOTLINE (§§ 12-18-301 — 12-18-310) › Section 12-18-304 - Qualifying reports of certain types of child maltreatment

(a)
(1)
The Child Abuse Hotline shall accept a report of child maltreatment if any of the following intentional or knowing acts are alleged to occur:
(A)
Throwing, kicking, burning, biting, or cutting a child;
(B)
Striking a child with a closed fist;
(C)
Shaking a child four (4) years of age or older; or
(D)
Striking a child seven (7) years of age or older on the face or on the head.
(2)
A report under this subsection shall not be determined to be true unless the child suffered an injury as the result of the act.
(b)
The Child Abuse Hotline shall accept a report of child maltreatment if any of the following intentional or knowing acts are alleged to occur:
(1)
Shaking a child three (3) years of age or younger;
(2)
Striking a child six (6) years of age or younger on the face or on the head;
(3)
Interfering with a child's breathing; or
(4)
Pinching, biting, or striking a child in the genital area.
(c)
(1)
The Child Abuse Hotline shall accept a report of child maltreatment if a child suffers an injury as the result of a restraint.
(2)
The report shall be determined not to be true if the injury is a minor temporary mark or causes transient pain and was an acceptable restraint as provided under this chapter.
(d)
[Repealed.]
(e)
The Child Abuse Hotline shall not accept a report of environmental neglect pertaining to head lice unless the:
(1)
Head lice is chronic; or
(2)
Alleged victim currently has sores that require immediate medical attention.
(f)
The Child Abuse Hotline shall not accept a report of giving a child or permitting a child to consume or inhale a poisonous or noxious substance as described in §
12-18-103(3)(A)(vii)
(f)
unless the alleged incident occurred within the previous three (3) months.
(g)
The Child Abuse Hotline shall accept a report regarding educational neglect if the:
(1)
Report alleges that a parent, custodian, or guardian of a child who is at least (6) years of age and under eighteen (18) years of age failed to enroll the child in school and lawfully home-school the child; or
(2)
Report alleges that:
(A)
An act or omission of a parent, custodian, or guardian of a child who is at least six (6) years of age and under eighteen (18) years of age caused the child to be absent from school;
(B)
The child's absence from school was not caused by the refusal of the child to attend school;
(C)
The child has been habitually absent from school without justification; and
(D)
The child's absence from school has had a negative impact on the child's performance at school.
(h)
The Child Abuse Hotline shall accept a report from a medical provider concerning a child eleven (11) years of age or younger if there is documented evidence of the child's being pregnant or having a sexually transmitted disease, despite insufficient evidence of child maltreatment.
Amended by Act 2023, No. 364,§ 9, eff. 8/1/2023.
Amended by Act 2023, No. 364,§ 8, eff. 8/1/2023.
Amended by Act 2019, No. 554,§ 3, eff. 7/24/2019.
Amended by Act 2015, No. 1215,§ 2, eff. 7/22/2015.
Amended by Act 2015, No. 1215,§ 1, eff. 7/22/2015.
Amended by Act 2015, No. 1026,§ 3, eff. 7/22/2015.
Amended by Act 2013, No. 1486,§ 1, eff. 8/16/2013.
Acts 2009, No. 749, § 1.