The bill aims to modernize the child fatality statute in Washington State by amending RCW 70.05.170. It raises the age limit for child fatality reviews from eighteen to nineteen years and changes the terminology from "child mortality" to "child fatality" throughout the statute. The bill emphasizes the importance of conducting child fatality reviews to identify preventable causes of child deaths and provides legal protections for families, local health department officials, and healthcare professionals involved in these reviews.

Additionally, the bill enhances confidentiality provisions by allowing local health departments to retain identifiable information for trend analysis while ensuring that such information remains confidential and not subject to public disclosure. It also clarifies that any witness statements or documents collected during the reviews are protected from being disclosed in legal proceedings. The bill mandates that local health departments can request and receive necessary data for specific fatalities and outlines the responsibilities of various entities in providing this information. Overall, the legislation seeks to improve child fatality review processes and promote child safety through better data collection and analysis.

Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 70.05.170
Substitute Bill: 70.05.170