Legislation

A history of providing insight and direction to improve our legislation
​to  prevent child abuse

Working with state agencies, lawmakers and child advocates to move child safety forward

​The Legislative Coalition has sponsored, proposed or been instrumental in passage of the following laws:

Senate Bill 654, Min 2021
​Sponsored

​Requires courts to consider a history of abuse or substance abuse and state reasons on the record before placing children in unsupervised visitation with a parent with a history of abuse or substance abuse. Specifies that children in custody disputes who choose to address the court will not do so in the presence of their parents unless the court finds it necessary and states reasons on the record.

Assembly Bill 1179, Rubio 2019

Protects children from sexual abuse by requiring a mandatory form be used when performing investigations, evaluations or assessments of serious allegations of child sexual abuse under Family Code section 3118.

Senate Bill 1704, Ortiz 2002
Sponsored

Specifies that uniform standards for
child custody evaluations involving
allegations of child sexual abuse apply
to court connected as well as private
evaluators and investigators.

Senate Bill 1716, Ortiz 2001
​Sponsored

​Sets uniform standards for child custody evaluations involving serious allegations of child sexual abuse. Mandates training in child sexual abuse for all child custody evaluators.

Senate Bill 792, Ortiz 2000

Specifies that no custody or visitation rights of a parent shall be limited because the parent lawfully reported suspected sexual abuse of their child or sought treatment for their child. Court imposed supervised visitation must be administered in accordance with the California Standards of Judicial Administration.

Senate Bill 674, Ortiz 2000
Sponsored

Provides retroactive application of Assembly Bill 1651, thereby allowing child sexual abuse victims between ages 19 and 26 to sue third parties who negligently or intentionally allowed children to be sexually assaulted.

Assembly Bill 1651, Ortiz, 1999
Sponsored

Permits victims of child sexual abuse to sue third parties who negligently or intentionally allowed children to be sexually assaulted. Allow victims to sue until age 26.

 Assembly Bill 535, Brown 1998
Co-sponsored
​with the Office of the Attorney General

Provides $4 to $8 million annually in Victims of Crime funding to child and adult victims of child sexual abuse and domestic violence.

Senate Bill 1311, Lockyer 1998

Restored $26 million to the Victim Restitution Fund to immediately assist victims of crime.

Assembly Bill 2014, Boland 1997

Allowed retroactive application of the extended statute of limitations in cases of serious child sexual abuse.

​Assembly Bill 3354, Brown, 1997

Mandates clergy to report child abuse under the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act.

Endorsements

Bills sponsored by the
​Legislative Coalition to
Prevent Child Abuse have been endorsed by:
Office of the Attorney General
California District Attorneys Association
Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office
California Peace Officers Association
California Police Chiefs Association
County Welfare Directors Association
California Partnership to
​End Domestic Violence
Family Violence Appellate Project
California Protective Parents Association
California Women’s Law Center
Center for Judicial Excellence
California Chapter of the National
Association of Social Workers
and other individuals and professionals