The proposed legislation establishes the Child Safety and Welfare Services Authority as an independent state agency, taking over the responsibilities previously held by the Children, Youth and Families Department in managing child welfare and juvenile justice programs. Governed by a board of regents appointed by the governor, the Authority aims to create a comprehensive child safety and welfare system. The bill outlines the Authority's powers, including the appointment of a state superintendent to oversee operations and compliance with laws. It also introduces new provisions for employment within the Authority, requiring criminal history checks for individuals in direct contact with clients and prohibiting those with substantiated allegations of child abuse or neglect from being employed.

Additionally, the bill amends existing laws to reflect the transition to the new Authority, including the establishment of a "child safety and welfare services advisory committee" and a "juvenile continuum grant fund" to support juvenile justice services. It clarifies the roles of officials, updates definitions within the Children's Code, and expands criminal history checks to include relatives of children in custody. The legislation emphasizes collaboration among stakeholders to enhance child welfare and repeals outdated laws to streamline the legal framework. Notably, it specifies that payments from the domestic violence offender treatment fund will now be drawn by the state superintendent of child safety and welfare services, replacing the previous requirement for the secretary of children, youth, and families.

Statutes affected:
introduced version: 30-22-11.1, 30-22-11.2, 31-12-12, 32A-1-4, 32A-15-3, 32A-22-2, 32A-26-11, 40-7A-3, 40-10B-3, 32A-19-1