Bill > HB77

This bill revises laws related to child abuse and neglect investigations by the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. The key changes include removing the concept of "temporary investigative authority" from child protective services statutes, which effectively eliminates a specific type of investigative power previously available to the department. The bill amends several sections of Montana law to streamline child protection procedures, including modifying language around emergency protective services and show cause hearings. Notably, the bill adds a new provision that limits emergency protection orders to a maximum of 90 days and removes references to temporary investigative authority throughout the existing legal framework. The bill aims to clarify and simplify the process for investigating potential child abuse and neglect cases, focusing on the child's best interests while maintaining procedural protections for families. It also ensures that the department must follow specific guidelines when seeking to remove a child from their home, including demonstrating that the risk of leaving the child in the home outweighs the potential harm of removal. The legislation was introduced by request of the Child Protective Services Group and represents an effort to update and refine child welfare investigation procedures.

Health and Social Services

https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/20251/LC0729