In the wake of the Pennsylvania State University and Bernie Fine scandals, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday he will introduce new legislation adding to the list of individuals mandated to report physical or sexual abuse.

College employees are not currently required by law to report sex abuse acts to law enforcement, according to a press release sent from Cuomo’s office on Wednesday. The legislation would add college and high school-level personnel, including coaches, to those required to report abuse.

‘At high schools, many educational and health care professionals are subject to mandatory reporting requirements, but coaches are not,’ according to the release. ‘The Governor’s proposal will address these gaps in order to better protect children who are present on high school and college campuses.’

Mandated reporters are people that, according to New York state law, are required to report physical or sexual abuse to police, if they witness or suspect it. This includes teachers of kindergarten classes through high school classes, guidance counselors, principles, high school coaches, doctors, nurses, police and therapists, among others. Mandated reporters who fail to report child abuse can be charged with a misdemeanor and face up to one year in jail.

The announcement comes one month after New York state assemblymen James Tedisco and George Amedore proposed the ‘College Coaches and Professionals Reporting Act’ bill, which would also add college-level personnel to the list of mandated reporters.

Tedisco could not be reached immediately to comment.

‘Parents need to be sure that their children are safe in programs and activities that are organized by and at colleges,’ Cuomo said in the release. ‘This legislation will ensure that those who harm our children are reported as quickly as possible to law enforcement.’

snbouvia@syr.edu

Published on December 14, 2011 at 12:00 pm

Contact Stephanie: snbouvia@syr.edu | @snbouvia