The proposed bill would amend current statutes related to the Department of Child Safety (DCS) by introducing new requirements for handling reports of child abuse or neglect. Specifically, it would require DCS to assign investigations involving four or more reports against the same caregiver within a 12-month period to a child safety specialist with at least two years of experience or, if available, one with advanced forensic training. Additionally, the bill mandates that any hotline calls alleging abuse or neglect of a child who is subject to a dependency action must be disclosed to the court overseeing that action.

The bill also includes several technical and conforming changes, such as replacing references to "child victim" and "agency" with "child welfare agency" and clarifying the definition of "centralized intake hotline." It deletes certain existing provisions that are no longer necessary due to these updates. Overall, the bill aims to enhance the effectiveness of investigations and ensure that relevant information is communicated to the appropriate judicial authorities.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 8-455
Senate Engrossed Version: 8-455