The bill establishes a new responsibility for the director of the Department of Family Services (DFS) to evaluate the effectiveness and impact of the department's programs. It allows for the sharing of data while creating exceptions to the confidentiality of certain information, specifically in relation to child abuse or neglect records and juvenile justice information. The bill mandates that the DFS must develop rules to implement these changes and requires the department to report to the joint judiciary interim committee by October 1, 2025, detailing the types of data shared and the safeguards in place to protect personal information.

Key legal language changes include the insertion of a new paragraph in W.S. 9-2-2104 that permits the director to review program effectiveness and share data as allowed by federal law. Additionally, various sections of existing law are amended to reference this new provision, allowing for exceptions to confidentiality in specific circumstances. The bill is set to take effect immediately upon completion of legislative processes, with certain provisions becoming effective on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 9-2-2104, 14-3-214, 14-6-203, 14-6-306, 14-6-437, 14-6-604, 21-18-202, 35-20-108, 42-2-111