The proposed bill, HB2116, amends existing laws regarding the State Child Fatality Review Team (CFR Team) and the Maternal Mortality Review Program (MMR Program) in Arizona. It establishes a formal process for these teams to approve any contact, interviews, or requests made to the close contacts or family members of deceased children or mothers. Additionally, it mandates that individuals engaging with these families must be trained in trauma-informed interview techniques and informed about available support services. This contrasts with current law, which restricts team members from contacting family members unless they are public officers acting in their official capacity.

Furthermore, the bill allows members of the CFR Team and MMR Program to obtain information from family members, which was previously prohibited. It also specifies that law enforcement agencies can withhold investigative records related to child or maternal deaths if it could interfere with ongoing criminal investigations, and it extends confidentiality requirements to the MMR Program. Lastly, it ensures that meetings related to individual cases of child fatalities or maternal deaths are closed to the public, while other meetings remain open.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 36-3503
House Engrossed Version: 36-3503
Senate Engrossed Version: 36-3503
Chaptered Version: 36-3503