Child Abuse

Hospital officials would be required to report suspected cases of child abuse to police under a measure unanimously approved Thursday by the House. State law already requires hospital officials to notify county social services departments about suspicious child abuse, neglect and deaths. Rep. Jennifer Weiss, D-Wake and a sponsor of the bill, said a host of medical and law enforcement groups support the measure, which 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. (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, 6/26/08).