1888                                               LAWS OF MARYLAND [Ch. 554

Article 27 — Crimes and Punishments
35A.

The General Assembly hereby declares as its
legislative intent and purpose the protection of children
who have been the subject of abuse by mandating the
reporting of suspected abuse, by extending immunity to
those who report in good faith, by requiring prompt
investigations of such reports and by causing immediate,
cooperative efforts by the responsible agencies on behalf
of such children.

(a)    Any parent, adoptive parent or other person
who has the permanent or temporary care or custody or
responsibility for the supervision of a minor child under
the age of eighteen years who causes abuse to such minor
child shall be guilty of[:] a felony and upon conviction
shall be sentenced to not more than fifteen years in the
penitentiary.

(b)    Wherever used in this section, unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:

1.    "Health practitioner" includes any physician,
surgeon, psychologist, dentist and any other person
authorized to engage in the practice of healing, any
resident or intern in any of these professions, and any
registered or licensed practical nurse attending or
treating a child in the absence of a practitioner of any
of these professions.

2.    "Child" means any person under the age of
eighteen (18) years.

3.   "Local department of social services" and "local
State's attorney" refer to the jurisdiction in which the
child lives, or where the abuse is alleged to have taken
place, if different.

4.   "Educator or social worker" shall mean any
teacher, counselor or other professional employee of any
school, public, parochial or private, or any caseworker
or social worker or other professional employee of any
public or private social, educational, health or social
service agency or any probation or parole officer or any
professional employee of a correctional institution.

5.   "Law—enforcement officer" shall mean any police
officer, or State trooper in the service of the State of
Maryland or any county or municipality thereof.

6.   "Law—enforcement agency" shall mean any police
department, bureau or force of any county or Baltimore