The Senate Family and Children Services Committee heard SB 301 on legislative committee for oversight of child services authored by Sen. Houchin. The bill:
- Establishes the child services oversight committee (committee).
- Requires the committee to review case decisions of the department of child services (DCS) and the juvenile courts in certain cases with negative outcomes, make recommendations to the DCS and the legislative council, study topics assigned by the legislative council, and study any other issues relevant to the activities of the DCS and improving child safety.
- Authorizes the committee to meet at any time at the call of the chairperson.
- Provides that records reviewed by the committee are confidential and may not be disclosed. Requires a local office or the department to redact any identifying information from any record provided to the committee. Specifies other policies governing the committee.
The bill was amended to expand local child fatality review committees and the state child fatality review committee to include near fatalities and serious bodily injury; add two legislative members to the state child fatality committee; and narrow the scope of the legislative child services oversight committee to meet once per year to review reports from the state child fatality review committee.
The Indiana Public Defender Council testified as originally opposed to the bill, but with the amendment withdrew its opposition. The Council specifically supported the inclusion of serious bodily injury language in the amendment.
The bill passed as amended, 9-0.
Read the bill at http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2021/bills/senate/301