EXECUTIVE ORDER NUMBER 20

WHEREAS, the Governor’s Task Force on the Prevention of Sexual Abuse of Children was created and authorized under section 16-40-9 of the Code of Alabama and charged with developing and adopting guidelines for a child sexual abuse prevention program;

WHEREAS, the Task Force submitted to the Governor a report, which included recommendations that the Task Force continue its work to create standards for child sexual abuse prevention;

WHEREAS, the Alabama Children’s Policy Council (“Policy Council”) was created and authorized under section 26-24-30 of the Code of Alabama;

WHEREAS, the Policy Council oversees the 67 county children’s policy councils, which, under section 26-24-34 of the Alabama Code, are required to submit an annual report to the Department of Early Childhood Education by July 1st of each year, and based on these reports, the Department presents recommendations to the Policy Council by September 1st of each year; and

WHEREAS, Alabama law requires county children’s policy councils to review the needs of children in the county as well as the responsibilities assigned to different county departments and agencies, working for the well-being of children, encouraging discussion and collaboration among service providers, identifying gaps and areas of duplication among services and acting as a resource for the community.

NOW, THEREFORE, based upon these considerations, I, Robert Bentley, Governor of the State of Alabama, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the State of Alabama, do hereby authorize county children’s policy councils (“County Councils”) to work in conjunction with local Child Advocacy Centers (CACs) to develop a child sexual abuse prevention plan based on the needs at the local level and  to submit a report no later than July 1, 2017 to the Governor’s Task Force on the Prevention of Sexual Abuse of Children as well as to the  Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education.

BE IT ORDERED, that County Councils in conjunction with local CACs shall accomplish the following:

  • Report on respective county child sexual abuse prevention plans
  • Work with local school systems in developing a program on Mandatory Reporting to be provided at the beginning of each school year as part of each local school system’s in-service
  • Work with local school systems in developing an orientation for all middle school and high school students regarding “peer-to-peer” sexual abuse crimes to be provided at the beginning of each school year

 

BE IT FURTHER ORDERED, that this Executive Order shall become effective immediately upon signing and shall remain in force until such time it is modified or rescinded by the Governor.

DONE AND ORDERED this 28th day of April, 2016.

Robert Bentley
Governor

ATTEST:

John H. Merrill
Secretary of State

Provided by the Office of the Governor of Alabama | governor.alabama.gov