WILLIAM DONALD SCHAEFER, Governor

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,

Article - Family Law
Section 5-905(d) and (e)
Annotated Code of Maryland
(1984 Volume and 1986 Supplement)

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

Article - Family Law

5-901.

(E-l) "HEALTH OFFICER" MEANS:

(1)  THE BALTIMORE CITY COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH; OR

(2)  THE HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH OF A COUNTY.
5-905.

(d) [Before January 1, 1985, the] THE local department, the
appropriate law enforcement agencies, [and] the State's Attorney
within each county and Baltimore City, AND THE LOCAL HEALTH
OFFICER shall enter into a written agreement that specifies
standard operating procedures for thee investigation and
prosecution of reported cases of child abuse.

(e)  (1) [Before January 1, 1985, the] THE agencies
responsible for investigating child sexual abuse, including the
local department, the appropriate law enforcement agencies, THE
HEALTH OFFICER, and the local State's Attorney shall implement a
joint investigation procedure for conducting joint investigations
of child sexual abuse.

(2) The joint investigation procedure shall:

(i) include appropriate techniques for
expediting validation of child sexual abuse complaints;

(ii) include investigation techniques designed
to:

1.  decrease the potential for physical
harm to the child; and

2.  decrease any trauma experienced by the
child in the investigation and prosecution of the case; and

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