The bill amends the Kansas code concerning the care of children to enhance parental rights and notifications during investigations of child abuse or neglect. It requires the secretary for children and families or law enforcement officers to provide both written and verbal notifications to parents at the start of an investigation or when a child is taken into custody. This notification must include a summary of investigation procedures, parental rights, and information on accessing their child if removed from the home. Additionally, the bill mandates documentation of these notifications and the development of materials to ensure compliance. It also allows parents to enter into voluntary agreements with the secretary when a child is removed, outlining responsibilities and conditions for parental access, while clarifying that these agreements do not imply an admission of abuse or neglect.

Moreover, the bill emphasizes cooperation among law enforcement, educational institutions, and the secretary in protecting children during investigations. It requires law enforcement officers to ideally conduct interviews in schools without uniforms to reduce distress for the child and mandates visual observation of the alleged victim by both the secretary and law enforcement, with detailed documentation included in investigation reports. New provisions allow the secretary to access a child during investigations under specific circumstances, such as probable cause of the child being missing or a victim of human trafficking. The bill also outlines the process for obtaining necessary documents and information, including the ability to issue subpoenas, and repeals certain existing statutes, taking effect upon publication in the statute book.

Statutes affected:
As introduced: 38-2217, 38-2226, 38-2229