It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Chapter 40-11 of the General Laws entitled "Abused and Neglected Children" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

{ADD 40-11-3.2. False reporting of child abuse and neglect. -- Any person who knowingly and wilfully makes or causes to be made to the department a false report of child abuse or neglect shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) or imprisoned not more than one (1) year or both. ADD}

SECTION 2. Section 42-72-8 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-72 entitled "Department of Children, Youth, and Families" is hereby amended to read as follows:

42-72-8. Confidentiality of records. -- (a) Any records of the department pertaining to children and their families in need of service pursuant to the provisions of this chapter or for whom an application for services has been made shall be confidential and only disclosed as provided by law.

(b) Records may be disclosed when necessary:

(1) To individuals, or public or private agencies engaged in medical, psychological or psychiatric diagnosis or treatment or education of the person under the supervision of the department;

(2) To individuals or public or private agencies for the purposes of temporary or permanent placement of the person, and when the director determines that the disclosure is needed to accomplish that placement;

(3) When the director determines that there is a risk of physical injury by the person to himself or others, and that disclosure of the records is necessary to reduce that risk;

(4) To the family court including periodic reports regarding the care and treatment of children provided that if a child is represented by a guardian ad litem or attorney, a copy of the family court report will be made available to the guardian ad litem or attorney prior to its submission;

(5) To inform any person who made a report of child abuse or neglect pursuant to section 40-11-3 of the general laws, whether services have been provided the child as a result of the report, provided, however, that no facts or information shall be released pursuant to this subsection other than the fact that services have been or are being provided;

(6) To permit access to child abuse and neglect track system (CANTS) computer records by physicians who are examining a child when the physician believes that there is reasonable cause to suspect that a child may have been abused or neglected; and

(7) To the office of the department of attorney general upon the request thereof by the attorney general or assistant attorney general when the office is engaged in the investigation of or prosecution of criminal conduct by another relating to the child or other children within the same family unit; and

(8) To the department of corrections in the case of an individual who has been transferred to the jurisdiction of said department pursuant to the provisions of section 14-1-7.3.

{ADD (9) To the office of the department of the attorney general upon the request thereof by the attorney general or assistant attorney general when the office is engaged in the investigation of or prosecution of criminal conduct as defined in section 40-11-3.2. ADD}

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.