14-3-205. Child abuse or neglect; persons required to report.

(a) Any person who knows or has reasonable cause to believe or suspect that a child has been abused or neglected or who observes any child being subjected to conditions or circumstances that would reasonably result in abuse or neglect, shall immediately report it to the child protective agency or local law enforcement agency or cause a report to be made. The fact a child, who is at least sixteen (16) years of age, is homeless as defined in W.S. 14-1-102(d) shall not, in and of itself, constitute a sufficient basis for reporting neglect.

(b) If a person reporting child abuse or neglect is a member of the staff of a medical or other public or private institution, school, facility or agency, he shall notify the person in charge or his designated agent as soon as possible, who is thereupon also responsible to make the report or cause the report to be made. Nothing in this subsection is intended to relieve individuals of their obligation to report on their own behalf unless a report has already been made or will be made.

(c) Any employer, public or private, who discharges, suspends, disciplines or penalizes an employee solely for making a report of neglect or abuse under W.S. 14-3-201 through 14-3-215 is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than six (6) months, a fine of not more than seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), or both.

(d) Any person who knowingly and intentionally makes a false report of child abuse or neglect, or who encourages or coerces another person to make a false report of child abuse or neglect, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than six (6) months, a fine of not more than seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), or both.