AUGUSTA — A Maine lawmaker is proposing a bill that would punish those who fail to report law enforcement authorities about the death or disappearance of a child.

Sen. Michael Thibodeau said Monday his proposal is modeled after Caylee’s Law, a bill recently submitted in Florida’s legislature in response to case of Casey Anthony, who did not her report her 2-year-old daughter’s disappearance for a month. Anthony was arrested after telling police a series of lies, but was acquitted of murder on July 5.

Thibodeau, a Republican from Winterport, said the goal of his legislation to be submitted in January is to make sure there’s timely reporting in cases of murder or accidental death involving children. Under current Maine law, failure to report a child missing or dead is not a crime.