ARIZONA STATE SENATE

RESEARCH STAFF

TO:                                   MEMBERS OF THE SENATE

                                              HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE

DATE:                       March 22, 2021

SUBJECT:           Strike everything amendment to H.B. 2439, relating to DCS; missing children; report

Purpose

                      Requires the Department of Child Safety (DCS), beginning January 1, 2022, to report outlined information regarding runaway and abducted children.

Background

                      Established in 2014, DCS's primary purpose is to protect children through investigation, assessment and support for the safety of children from abuse, neglect and other criminal conduct allegations. DCS is required to coordinate services to achieve and maintain permanency on behalf of the child, strengthen the family and provide prevention, intervention and treatment services without compromising child safety (A.R.S.   8-451).    

                      Upon receiving a report or information that indicates a child is at risk and the child's location is unknown, DCS is required to notify the appropriate law enforcement agency and provide prescribed information for entry into the Arizona Crime Information Center and the National Crime Information Center Missing Person Database. DCS must include information about the child and child's parent, guardian, custodian or person of interest in their report (A.R.S.   8-810).

                      Current statute defines missing child as a child whose location cannot be determined and who is reported to a law enforcement agency as abducted, lost or a runaway (A.R.S.   36-339).

                      There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.

Provisions

1.   Requires DCS, for each six-month period beginning January 1 or July 1, to make the following information regarding runaway children available:

a)   the number of individual children on runaway status on the last day of the prior reporting period;

b)   the number of new runaway episodes initiated during the current reporting period;

c)   the number of times children return from a runaway episode during the current reporting period;

d)   the number of children on runaway status on the last day of the current reporting period, including categories for length of time on runaway status and age of the children;

e)   the percentage of care days associated with runaway children during the reporting period;

f) the placement location from which a child ran away; and

g)   the number of runaway children who returned during the reporting period.

2.   Requires DCS, for each six-month period beginning January 1 or July 1, to make the following information regarding abducted children available:

a)   the number of individual children on abducted status on the last day of the prior reporting period;

b)   the number of abducted children during the current reporting period;

c)   the number of children returned to care during the current reporting period;

d)   the number of children on abducted status on the last day of the current reporting period;

e)   the percentage of care days associated with abducted children during the reporting period; and

f) the number of children on abducted status on the last day of the reporting period by categories of length of time on abducted status and age.

3.   Requires DCS to:

a)   make reporting information on runaway and abducted children available within 90 days after the end of the reporting period; and

b)   notify the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Governor each time reporting information is made available.

4.   Defines relevant terms.

5.   Repeals prescribed reporting requirements on January 1, 2026.

6.   Clarifies that the first reporting period for which DCS will make information available is January 1, 2022 through June 30, 2022.

7.   Becomes effective on the general effective date.