Panel advances bill allowing legislative review of DCS records at secure legislative locations; DCS requests secure internet access

The Senate Health and Human Services Committee advanced Senate Bill 12‑45, which would allow a legislative review of Department of Child Safety records to occur at a secure location within the legislative chamber within 10 working days of a records request.

Chris Gustafson of the Department of Child Safety said DCS worked with the bill sponsor and has no formal objections to the idea, but that if legislators expect DCS to pull up additional information from the agency’s Guardian case management system, the agency would need reliable, secure internet access in the legislative facility; otherwise DCS would rely on the written report provided with the records.

Melinda Sherwin testified that she believes the statute as drafted is unconstitutional because it would put additional confidentiality constraints around DCS and hamstring constituent oversight. She urged that redaction provisions and a parent/guardian waiver process should control third‑party disclosures, and she argued for broader transparency for reports from the ombudsman and Foster Care Review Board.

Committee members asked practical questions about who would staff or accompany legislators during file reviews; Gustafson said DCS would send a senior supervisor, a legal representative and staff to facilitate reviews and suggested the legislature provide a secure room rather than using a legislator’s office. The committee gave SB 12‑45 a due‑pass recommendation; the recorded vote was 6 ayes, 1 no.