CBS LA: Lawmaker Moves To Boost Training For Teachers To ID, Report Child Abuse

You can listen to this story and more from CBS Radio HERE

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LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A Southland lawmaker has introduced a bill that would require teachers and other school staffers to undergo training on how to identify suspected cases of child abuse.

KNX 1070′s Margaret Carrero reports Assemblyman Mike Gatto wants the California Department of Education to provide guidelines for educators on how  — and when — to alert authorities.

Under existing state law, a parent or guardian of a minor can face criminal charges for failing to provide clothing, food, shelter, or medical care “without lawful excuse.” Existing law also makes it a crime for a parent or guardian to desert a child under 14 years of age with the intent to abandon that child.

Assembly Bill 1432 (PDF) would require teachers and other school officials to pass an online course on how to identify and properly report abuse before the start of each school year.

Recent reports showed that certain abuse was prolonged because large numbers of school personnel were unaware of the processes and their responsibilities for reporting abuse, according to Gatto.

“We can’t allow unfamiliarity with the signs of abuse and the proper way to report it to serve as excuse for permitting child abusers to continue working in our schools,” said Gatto. “AB 1432 is a common-sense approach to the problem, since every year, education professionals will be reminded of their duties.”

The legislation comes after several reports of alleged abuse cases at Miramonte Elementary and other schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District since 2012.

One Southland father of two said the legislation is a step forward for educators and students alike.

“Just to remind them of the dangers of child abuse and the signs can be subtle,” he said. “So I think it’s probably a good idea that they do something.”

You can listen to this story and more from CBS Radio HERE

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Mike Gatto is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee in the California State Assembly.  He represents Burbank, Glendale, La Cañada Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, and the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Atwater Village, East Hollywood, Franklin Hills, Hollywood Hills, Los Feliz, and Silver Lake.  www.asm.ca.gov/gatto 

[VIDEO] CBS2 Investigates: Customers Pay The Price For Prop. 65 Lawsuits Against LA Restaurants

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Customers are ultimately paying the price for lawsuits against some Los Angeles-area restaurants, according to CBS2 investigative reporter David Goldstein.

In the past six months, artist Raphael Delgado has had his attorney write letters to 20 restaurants, including California Pizza Kitchen, Maria’s Italian Kitchen and Big Daddy’s Fire Grill, in which he claims he’s documented violations of Proposition 65, which requires businesses to warn residents about possible exposures to chemicals...

...In January, the owner of Big Daddy’s, Dennis Constanzo, said he was threatened with legal action for supposedly not posting warning signs.

“(Delgado) indicated he wanted to settle the matter. And that is what it’s all about,” he said.

Three restaurants have settled with Delgado, paying penalties and legal fees that added up to more than $15,000, according to the California Attorney General’s website. Those costs could end up being passed on to customers in the form of higher food prices...

...When confronted by Goldstein, Delgado claimed he isn’t making any money and quickly called his attorney, Miguel Custodio.

Custodio, who has written 67 threatening letters to restaurants on behalf of just five clients, admitted he’s known Delgado since high school and they even had a business together, but said the Prop. 65 violations are valid.

Asked how Delgado found 20 restaurants in violation of Prop. 65, Custodio said, “You know, he goes to eat out just like, I think, anybody else does and he finds that these establishments don’t have these notices.”

State Assemblyman Mike Gatto, of Burbank, said the lawsuits have led to higher food costs and restaurants are being forced to leave California.

He’s authored a bill that would give restaurants a 14-day grace period to correct any problems.

“If the goal of Prop. 65 was to make sure that warning signs were put up in businesses, then let’s give businesses two weeks or so to put up a warning sign without facing very, very punitive lawsuits,” said Gatto.

Gatto’s proposed legislation is making its way through the state Senate and should be on the governor’s desk in a few weeks.

You can see this investigative report and more at CBS2LA.com by clicking HERE