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House defines child advocacy centers, narrows definitions and adds confidentiality protections
Summary
Lawmakers adopted House Bill 11-42 to codify definitions and a multidisciplinary structure for child advocacy centers (19 statewide), adopt an amendment resolving a Title 19 conflict and provide limited information-sharing immunity when centers operate properly.
The Colorado House on Feb. 20 passed House Bill 11-42 to formally define child advocacy centers (CACs) and provide statutory guardrails for how they operate.
Speaker pro tem Bazeenecker moved amendment L3 to the health and human services committee report to resolve a potential conflict in Title 19 by moving two definitions — "child advocacy center multidisciplinary team" and "child maltreatment" — into the bill. The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
Representative Taggart, who described work in committee to ensure definitions met stakeholder needs, said the bill outlines a multidisciplinary team structure, clarifies information-sharing protocols and provides certain immunities to CAC personnel "provided they operate in an above-board manner." Representative Espinosa and others said the statute will protect children and help multidisciplinary teams work together in complex cases involving abuse, neglect, trafficking and exposure to violence.
Floor sponsors noted Colorado has 19 child advocacy centers across judicial districts and urged support. The bill passed on second reading and was ordered to third reading for final passage.
