A New Jersey Republican has drafted legislation requiring suspected cases of child sexual abuse to be reported to police.

Sen. Kip Bateman will introduce a bill Thursday strengthening the reporting requirements for suspicions of sex abuse on a child.

The bill is in response to child sex abuse scandals at Penn State and Syracuse universities.

The proposed law requires anyone with a reasonable suspicion that sexual abuse has occurred to notify police immediately. Failure to do so would be a crime punishable by a jail term up to six months and a fine up to $10,000.

Current law requires child welfare authorities, but not police, to be notified of suspected child sex abuse.

The proposal doesn't change reporting requirements for child abuse that isn't sexual in nature.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

More From New Jersey 101.5 FM