Gov. Brown vetoes bill regulating child abuse investigations

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Gov. Jerry Brown has vetoed a bill that would authorize counties to establish child advocacy centers to investigate and prosecute child abuse cases and create standards on how they operate.

The governor objected to the state imposing on counties a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to dealing with child abuse.

SB 1352 was introduced by Sen. Ellen Corbett (D-San Leandro) after she noticed that many counties do not have child advocacy centers, and some of those that do exist have varying approaches and do not effectively communicate with one another on cases.

Corbett wanted to create a ‘best-practices’ model with standards for how such centers operate.’It is critical for victims of child abuse and neglect to be provided with the best possible services and treatment during a very difficult time in their lives,’ Corbett wrote to colleagues.

Brown said the bill was ‘well intended’’ but not needed. ‘Currently, 33 counties in the state have established child advocacy centers, indicating that state prescription in this area is unnecessary,’ Brown wrote in his veto message this week.

‘More to the point, this bill would lock into statute specific requirements for these centers that may or may not fit with what local county leaders see as the best way to handle these sensitive cases,’ Brown added.

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--Patrick McGreevy in Sacramento