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House Health and Human Services concurs in bill creating statewide child-abuse registry with reporting and expungement rules
Summary
The House Health and Human Services committee concurred in Senate Bill 468, which establishes a statewide central registry for substantiated child-abuse or neglect reports, adds annual reporting requirements for DPHHS and clarifies definitions; an amendment to allow expungement after five years failed.
The House Health and Human Services committee voted to concur in Senate Bill 468, creating a statewide central registry for substantiated reports of child abuse or neglect and adding new reporting and record-definition requirements.
Ms. Allen, committee staff, told members the bill sets a central registry, provides procedures for expungement, and includes definitions and an effective date. She explained amendment 468.2 0.1 revises statutory language so that “substantiated means that the department has investigated the report ... and determined by a preponderance of evidence that an act of child abuse or neglect occurred,” and similarly refines definitions of “unfounded” and “unsubstantiated.”
A second adopted amendment, 468.2 0.2, requires the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) to report annually by Sept. 1 to the Children, Families, Health and Human Services Interim Committee in accordance with 511.21. Ms. Allen summarized the reporting elements the amendment adds: total number of individuals listed in the registry, how many individuals were added in the prior calendar year, the number of expungement requests granted and denied, whether requests were first-time or subsequent, and the stated reasons for any denials.
Representative Close moved a third amendment (dot2.3) to permit individuals to apply for expungement after five years; he said testimony supported a longer initial waiting period than two years. That amendment failed on a roll-call vote, with 9 in favor and 12 opposed. Vice Chair Howe said she supported the bill but remained “a little conflicted about that 2 year period” and urged continued committee discussion and possible floor amendment to address time limits.
After debate and the adoption of the two earlier amendments, the committee concurred in SB 468 as twice amended. The committee did not record a roll-call tally on the final concurrence; the bill will move to the House floor with the committee’s recommendation.
Next steps: the bill will be carried to the floor (carrier to be named) and DPHHS will have ongoing reporting obligations if the measure becomes law.
