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Bill to clarify foster youth ombudsman access to state records advances after debate on tribal data and notice
Summary
Representative Johnsons HF 39.01 (as amended) would clarify the Foster Youth Ombudsmanoffice's authority to access SSIS records, meet privately with youth and add anti-retaliation protections; testimony stressed investigatory delays and tribal data exclusions.
Representative Johnson moved House File 39.01 with an amendment the committee described as addressing stakeholder concerns. The billas explained by the author and a bills revisorwould clarify the ombudsmanoffice(FEO) authority to obtain direct access to the stateSocial Services Information System (SSIS), explicitly permit private interviews with foster youth, and add anti-retaliation protections for youth who raise concerns.
Hannah (deputy ombuds) testified that the FEO has reviewed nearly 400 concerns from children and adults across at least 55 counties since May 2024 and repeatedly faces delays obtaining SSIS data, including examples where two-month delays hindered timely investigation. She told the committee that many peer offices in other states have direct access and that 18 of 24 comparable offices reported statutory access to state case systems.
Joe Cahill, representing the Office of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives and on behalf of American Indian families, urged the committee to exclude tribal data and placements from the SSIS access provision and to protect tribal sovereignty; the amendment adopted in committee explicitly exempts tribal data and placements.
Members questioned the scope of access to the SSIS, whether Department of Corrections records should be included when relevant, and whether inspection language that previously read "without notice" should remain; the author said the bill was being laid over so staff could refine notice and scope language. Testifiers and members also highlighted sensitive record types that warrant limits (adoption records, case notes) and suggested clarifying what specific SSIS fields the ombudsman would be allowed to view.
The committee adopted the amendment and laid HF39.01 over for further work; members requested additional drafting to clarify notice for inspections and to narrow sensitive data access while preserving the ombudsmanoffice's investigatory function.
