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Committee advances investigative‑warrant tool for child-welfare cases after heated public comment
Summary
First substitute SB 124 would allow courts to issue narrowly tailored, time-limited investigative warrants to give caseworkers "eyes on" children when access is denied and credible evidence of serious harm exists; the committee adopted an amendment and advanced the bill by a narrow recorded vote after extensive testimony for and against.
A Utah House committee voted to advance first substitute Senate Bill 124, a bill that would create a narrowly scoped investigative-warrant procedure permitting juvenile courts to authorize limited access to children when credible evidence indicates serious harm and caregivers are denying access.
Sponsor Senator Escamilla told the committee the measure responds to the death of a child, identified in committee as Gavin Peterson, whom legislators said was isolated from community visibility. "This bill creates a narrowly tailored investigative warrant that allows a court, not DCFS alone, to authorize limited access to a child when there is credible evidence-based concern for serious harm,"…
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