Senate committee approves bill letting counties use child‑welfare diversion for school absences; sends measure to judiciary

ST. PAUL — The Senate Health and Human Services Committee on Feb. 20 voted to recommend passage of Senate File 942, a bill that would allow local child welfare agencies to use a diversionary child‑welfare response — rather than a traditional child‑protection investigation — for reports of education neglect when no immediate safety concerns are identified. The committee recommended the bill pass and referred it to the Judiciary Committee.

The bill, introduced by Senator Kunish and amended in committee, changes how Minnesota responds to reports that a child has missed school under the state’s current education‑neglect definition. “Minnesota law currently requires local child welfare agencies to implement a traditional child protection response for screened‑in child protection reports of education neglect,” Kunish said in committee. The bill narrows that by allowing a child‑welfare diversion response where there are no…