Committee Shelves California Bill That Would End Mandated Domestic Violence Reporting by Medical Workers

Hospital staff members walk down a hallway at the University of California–Irvine Medical Center in Orange, Calif., on Dec. 16, 2020. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

Legislation to remove mandatory requirements for doctors and other health practitioners to report suspected domestic violence was shelved by a California senate committee on Aug. 11.

Assembly Bill 2790 would remove criminal liability for health care professionals who don’t notify law enforcement when they suspect a patient has been assaulted or abused. Instead, the provider would be required to provide brief counseling and a referral to local or national domestic violence services.