Bill > SB69

This bill revises reporting requirements for county attorneys in cases involving child sexual abuse. The bill mandates that county attorneys must gather and retain all investigative materials related to child sexual abuse reports for 25 years, and provide written certification to the initial reporter when receiving such a report. Instead of reporting twice a year, county attorneys will now submit a single annual report to the attorney general by June 1st, which must include detailed information about each case, such as case identifiers, report dates, charging decisions, and conviction outcomes. The bill also requires county attorneys to report on cases that have not resulted in prosecution within two years, including the basis for not making a prosecution decision. The attorney general must create a confidential reporting form and subsequently provide an annual report to the law and justice interim committee, which will include aggregated case data, prosecution statistics, and defendants' initials in child sexual abuse cases. Additionally, the bill requires the department responsible for investigating child abuse to report the number of referrals to county attorneys and advise the attorney general if they believe a prosecution should be pursued. The legislation aims to improve transparency and tracking of child sexual abuse cases while maintaining the confidentiality of sensitive information.

Justice

https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC0238