Bill > SB0432

This bill seeks to amend the existing "office of the children's ombudsman" by renaming it the "office of the child advocate" and modifying its powers and duties. The key provisions are: - Establishing the office of the child advocate as an autonomous entity within the Department of Technology, Management, and Budget, with the child advocate appointed by the governor and serving at the governor's pleasure. - Expanding the child advocate's investigative powers to include administrative acts related to adoption, foster care, protective services, and juvenile justice services. The child advocate can investigate complaints from a wide range of individuals, including the child, parents, foster parents, legislators, and others. - Authorizing the child advocate to pursue legal action, mediate issues, review policies, and make recommendations to improve systemic issues, especially related to child fatalities. - Requiring state agencies and service providers to cooperate with the child advocate's investigations and provide access to necessary records and information, while also protecting the confidentiality of certain sensitive records. - Prohibiting retaliation against individuals who file complaints or cooperate with the child advocate.