LANSING, Mich. (AP) – Sports coaches, the types of paid employees who allegedly learned Larry Nassar was molesting gymnasts and other athletes before the sexual abuse scandal broke, would still not be required to report such suspected abuse to the authorities under a watered-down proposal to expand Michigan’s mandatory reporting law.
A state House committee on Wednesday passed a bill that would add physical therapists, physical therapist assistants and – in a reversal from a day earlier – athletic trainers to the list of mandatory reporters. But it drew swift criticism for still backing away from Senate-passed legislation that also would require college employees, coaches and volunteers to report abuse, citing cost concerns, unintended consequences and other issues.
Sen. Rick Jones, a Grand Ledge Republican, said he would move to add paid coaches in his committee after the full House approves its Nassar-inspired bills on Thursday, though another key senator signaled the package would see no additional changes.
“That is ridiculous. A paid professional coach or trainer should have enough common sense and enough training to report a sexual assault on a teenager,” Jones said, hours before the House panel added trainers back in.