RALEIGH (AP) ó The North Carolina House wants to require hospital officials to report suspected cases of child abuse to police.
Members voted 111-0 on Thursday to require doctors to report suspicious or recurring injuries on children under the age of 18. State law already requires hospital officials to notify county social services departments about suspicious child abuse, neglect and deaths.
Bill sponsor Rep. Jennifer Weiss, a Wake County Democrat, said a host of medical and law enforcement groups support the plan.
The plan would build on existing state law that requires medical workers to report poisonings, bullet wounds and knife injuries to police.
The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration.