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Committee hears bill to require prompt notice to pre-hearing coordinators after child removals
Summary
Senate Bill 73 would require agencies to notify pre-hearing conference coordinators after a child removal and clarify timing so pre-hearing conferences occur before Emergency Protective Services hearings; proponents said it would speed case planning, while members asked about "working days" definitions and fiscal impact.
HELENA, Mont. — The Senate Public Health, Welfare and Safety Committee on Jan. 13 opened a hearing on Senate Bill 73, which would require the agency that places a child into protective custody to notify the pre-hearing conference coordinator so a pre-hearing conference can be scheduled promptly.
Senator Mike Yakawich, who presented SB 73, said the bill "mandates that the facilitator is aware of the situation" and argued timely notification would let pre-hearing conferences resolve issues before a judge hears the Emergency Protective Services (EPS) hearing.
The bill’s proponents described the pre-hearing conference as a short, problem-solving meeting that brings together parents, county or tribal attorneys, the…
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