This bill amends the record retention policy for unfounded abuse and neglect reports managed by the Department of Health and Human Services. Specifically, it reduces the retention period from 10 years to 3 years. The new legal language inserted into the current law specifies that the department shall retain an unfounded report for 3 years from the date the case is determined to be unfounded. Additionally, if a subsequent report concerning the same alleged perpetrator or child is received during this 3-year period, the retention period for both the prior and subsequent reports will be extended for an additional 3 years from the date the subsequent report is screened out or deemed unfounded.

Furthermore, the bill maintains that if a subsequent report is deemed founded or unfounded but with reasonable concern, the records will be retained indefinitely. The bill also includes provisions for the deletion or destruction of all electronic and paper records once the retention period for the most recent report expires. Overall, the bill aims to streamline the management of abuse and neglect reports while ensuring that necessary information is retained for a shorter duration.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 169-C:35-a