Senate Bill No. [number], introduced by D. Emrich at the request of the Children, Families, Health and Human Services Interim Committee, seeks to enhance legal protections for children during the removal process from their homes. The bill mandates that a warrant must be obtained for child removal, except in exigent circumstances, and extends the timeline for filing an abuse and neglect petition from 72 hours to 5 working days following an emergency removal. It amends several sections of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) and introduces new procedures for obtaining and executing warrants, emphasizing the importance of legal justification in child removals.

Additionally, the bill clarifies definitions related to child welfare, such as "sexual abuse" and "sexual exploitation," and introduces the term "therapeutic needs assessment" for evaluating children placed in therapeutic group homes. It modifies the definition of "withholding of medically indicated treatment" and defines "youth in need of care." The bill also outlines the responsibilities of the department of public health and human services to prevent unnecessary removals and facilitate family reunification, while ensuring timely notification to parents or guardians about removals and subsequent hearings. The effective date for these changes is set for July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 41-3-101, 41-3-301, 41-3-423
SB0050_1(1): 41-3-101, 41-3-301, 41-3-423
SB0050_1(2): 41-3-101, 41-3-301, 41-3-423
SB0050_1(3): 41-3-101, 41-3-301, 41-3-423
SB0050_1(4): 41-3-101, 41-3-301, 41-3-423
SB0050_1(5): 41-3-101, 41-3-301, 41-3-423
SB0050_1(6): 41-3-101, 41-3-301, 41-3-423
SB0050_1(7): 41-3-101, 41-3-301, 41-3-423
SB0050_1(8): 41-3-101, 41-3-301, 41-3-423
SB0050_1: 41-3-101, 41-3-301, 41-3-423
SB0050_2(1): 41-3-101, 41-3-102, 41-3-301, 41-3-423
SB0050_2(10): 41-3-101, 41-3-301, 41-3-423
SB0050_2(11): 41-3-101, 41-3-301, 41-3-423
SB0050_2(12): 41-3-101, 41-3-301, 41-3-423
SB0050_2(13): 41-3-101, 41-3-301, 41-3-423
SB0050_2(14): 41-3-101, 41-3-301, 41-3-423
SB0050_2(15): 41-3-101, 41-3-301, 41-3-423
SB0050_2(16): 41-3-101, 41-3-301, 41-3-423
SB0050_2(2): 41-3-101, 41-3-102, 41-3-301, 41-3-423
SB0050_2(3): 41-3-101, 41-3-102, 41-3-301, 41-3-423
SB0050_2(4): 41-3-101, 41-3-301, 41-3-423
SB0050_2(5): 41-3-101, 41-3-301, 41-3-423
SB0050_2(6): 41-3-101, 41-3-301, 41-3-423
SB0050_2(7): 41-3-101, 41-3-301, 41-3-423
SB0050_2(8): 41-3-101, 41-3-301, 41-3-423
SB0050_2(9): 41-3-101, 41-3-301, 41-3-423
SB0050_2: 41-3-101, 41-3-102, 41-3-301, 41-3-423
SB0050_3(1): 41-3-101, 41-3-301, 41-3-423
SB0050_3(2): 41-3-101, 41-3-301, 41-3-423
SB0050_3(3): 41-3-101, 41-3-301, 41-3-423
SB0050_3(4): 41-3-101, 41-3-301, 41-3-423
SB0050_3(5): 41-3-101, 41-3-301, 41-3-423
SB0050_3(6): 41-3-101, 41-3-301, 41-3-423
SB0050_3(7): 41-3-101, 41-3-301, 41-3-423
SB0050_3(8): 41-3-101, 41-3-301, 41-3-423
SB0050_3(9): 41-3-101, 41-3-301, 41-3-423
SB0050_3: 41-3-101, 41-3-301, 41-3-423