Bill > HB4220

Introduced Session

Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Requires the Department of Children and Family Services to provide certain written summaries and verbal notifications to parents, guardians, or other persons having legal custody of a child who are under investigation for child abuse or neglect. Provides that, after initiating an abuse or neglect investigation, the Department shall provide the investigated person with a written summary of the following information: (1) the known allegations and factual claims the Department is investigating; (2) the Department's procedures for conducting an investigation of alleged child abuse or neglect; (3) the person's right to file a complaint with the Department or request a review of the Department's investigative findings; (4) the person's right to review all records of the Department's investigation within 24 hours of making the request unless such review would undermine an ongoing criminal investigation or jeopardize the child's safety; and other matters. Requires the Department to provide a verbal notification of the person's right to: (i) not speak with any agent of the Department without an attorney present; (ii) record any interaction or interview the person has with a child protective investigator or any other agent of the Department with the understanding that upon court order the person may be required to disclose the recording to the Department, a law enforcement agency, or another party; (iii) refuse to allow a child protective investigator to enter the home or interview the child without a court order; and other matters. Provides that the Department shall provide a verbal notification to the child of the child's right to have an adult the child is comfortable with present during any investigatory interview with the Department. Provides that the child protective investigator assigned to investigate the report of abuse or neglect shall document in the case record that the investigator provided the written summaries and verbal notifications. Provides that if a parent, guardian, or legal custodian under investigation for child abuse or neglect does not receive the written summaries and verbal notifications, any information obtained from such person is not admissible as evidence against the person in any civil proceeding.

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Dan Caulkins (R)*, 

Session Sine Die (on 01/07/2025)

Official Document