Florida Senate - 2025 SB 304 By Senator Sharief 35-00685A-25 2025304__ Page 1 of 3 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. A bill to be entitled 1

An act relating to child abuse investigations; 2 providing a

short title; amending s. 39.301, F.S.; 3 requiring child protective investigators to inform 4 subjects of their investigations of the right to 5 request specified examinations of the alleged victim; 6 amending s. 39.304, F.S.; authorizing an alleged 7 perpetrator of child abuse to request specified 8 examinations of the alleged victim under certain 9 circumstances; providing that the alleged perpetrator 10 is responsible for paying for such examinations; 11 prohibiting the request for or use of such 12 examinations to obtain a second opinion on whether an 13 alleged victim has been sexually abused; providing an 14 effective date. 15 16 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 17 18

Section 1. This act may be cited as “Patterson’s Law.” 19

Section 2. Paragraph (

a) of subsection (5) of

section 20 39.301, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 21 39.301 Initiation of protective investigations.— 22 (5)(

a) Upon commencing an investigation under this part, 23 the child protective investigator shall inform any subject of 24 the investigation of the following: 25 1. The names of the investigators and identifying 26 credentials from the department. 27 2. The purpose of the investigation. 28 3. The right to obtain his or her own attorney and ways 29 Florida Senate - 2025 SB 304 35-00685A-25 2025304__ Page 2 of 3 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. that the information provided by the subject may be used. 30 4. The possible outcomes and services of the department’s 31 response. 32 5.

The right of the parent or legal custodian to be engaged 33 to the fullest extent possible in determining the nature of the 34 allegation and the nature of any identified problem and the 35 remedy. 36 6. The duty of the parent or legal custodian to report any 37 change in the residence or location of the child to the 38 investigator and that the duty to report continues until the 39 investigation is closed. 40 7. The right of the subject to request examinations of the 41 alleged victim as specified in s. 39.304(1)(c). 42

Section 3. Paragraph (

c) is added to subsection (1) of 43

section 39.304, Florida Statutes, to read: 44 39.304 Photographs, medical examinations, X rays, and 45 medical treatment of abused, abandoned, or neglected child.— 46 (1) 47 (

c) If an examination is performed on the child under 48 paragraph (b), the alleged perpetrator may: 49 1. For the purpose of obtaining a second opinion, request 50 that the alleged victim be examined by a licensed physician or 51 advanced practice registered nurse who did not perform the 52 initial examination and who routinely provides medical care to 53 pediatric patients; and 54 2.

For the purpose of ruling out a differential diagnosis, 55 request that the alleged victim be examined by a licensed 56 physician or an advanced practice registered nurse who routinely 57 provides medical care to pediatric patients to determine whether 58 Florida Senate - 2025 SB 304 35-00685A-25 2025304__ Page 3 of 3 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. the alleged victim has one or more of the following medical 59 conditions: 60 a. Rickets. 61 b. Ehlers-Danlos syndromes. 62 c. Osteogenesis imperfecta, also known as brittle bone 63 disease. 64 d. Vitamin D deficiency. 65 e.

Any other medical condition known to appear to be caused 66 by suspected abuse or to increase the risk of a misdiagnosis of 67 abuse. 68 69 Examinations requested under this paragraph are to be paid for 70 by the alleged perpetrator or as otherwise covered by insurance 71 or Medicaid. Examinations under this paragraph may not be 72 requested or used to obtain a second opinion on whether an 73 alleged victim has been sexually abused. 74

Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 75