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Legislative Efforts To Control Child Abuse In Washington, Anon

Washington Law Review

A newly-enacted Washington law permits, and attempts to encourage, the reporting of cases of physical child abuse to law enforcement agencies by physicians and dentists. Upon receipt of such a report, it is made the "duty" of the law enforcement agency to investigate and refer the case to the juvenile court. The new law provides that any person making such a report shall be immune from civil liability that he might have otherwise incurred for reporting the incident. The new law further provides that the physician-patient communication privilege shall not be a ground for excluding evidence in any judicial proceeding …