In the second half of the 1983-84 session, more than 50 bills were submitted for consideration; these bills aim to curb child abuse through public education, increase coordination and funding of children's services, and expand mandatory reporting requirements. Public education is an essential strategy for preventing child abuse. Under AB 2696, family court mediators would be required to have a working knowledge of child abuse and the effects of domestic violence on children, and AB 2699 would require child abuse education for both students and teachers. Further, under AB 3031, the California Department of Education would develop a statewide the California Department of Education would develop a statewide curricula for parenting education. State-level coordination of children's services is the focus of three bills: AB 1934, AB 2100, and SB 1526. The need for expansion of child abuse prevention services would be partially met through another series of bills, including AB 2443, which would appropriate $23.45 million to fund child abuse prevention and training programs. California statutes specify that child care custodians, medical and nonmedical practitioners, and employees of child protective agencies must report suspected or known instances of child abuse. Several bills designate additional professions as 'mandatory child abuse reporters,' including employees of various State and county agencies (AB 1927) and psychological assistants (AB 2702). Finally, three bills have been introduced that would make it easier to obtain a child's testimony and that would protect the child from the possible negative effects of testifying (AB 3840, SB 1899, and SB 2007). Appendixes summarize the legislation.