The bill amends the North Dakota Century Code to update the definition of a "children's advocacy center" and enhance the confidentiality of records associated with these centers. Specifically, it redefines a children's advocacy center as an "accredited" entity that coordinates investigations into child abuse allegations, providing a child-friendly environment for forensic interviews and medical examinations. This change replaces the previous term "fullan" with "accredited."

Additionally, the bill establishes stricter confidentiality protocols for records and communications within children's advocacy centers. It specifies that records related to forensic medical examinations, interviews, advocacy, or therapy are confidential and can only be released to certain authorized individuals, including law enforcement, prosecutors, and medical professionals, upon a judge's subpoena. The bill also allows staff of children's advocacy centers to communicate with various officials for professional purposes and introduces a provision for criminal history record checks for individuals associated with the centers who have contact with children.

Statutes affected:
INTRODUCED: 50-25.1-02, 50-25.1-11.1
Adopted by the Senate Human Services Committee: 50-25.1-02, 50-25.1-11.1
FIRST ENGROSSMENT: 50-25.1-02, 50-25.1-11.1
Enrollment: 50-25.1-02, 50-25.1-11.1