Committee rejects bill that would let Department of Family Services share client data with providers and agencies

The House Labor, Health & Social Services Committee rejected Senate File 157 on a 4–4 roll call with one member excused, after testimony and debate focused on whether the bill strikes the right balance between improving referrals and protecting family privacy.

Sen. Tim Olson, the bill sponsor, told the committee SF157 would authorize “data sharing between the Department of Family Services and whatever the necessary parties are,” including state agencies and contracted community providers, to make referrals and improve early intervention, and to provide de‑identified information for research and juvenile justice reporting. He said the measure grew from work by the Mental Health and Vulnerable Adult Task Force and a subsequent joint judiciary effort.

Corinne Schmidt, director of the Wyoming Department of Family Services, described three uses the bill would authorize: sharing minimal referral information (for example, a name and phone number) to…