AZ SB1427

Establishes that every child receives equal protections whether in Department of Child Safety (DCS) custody or with parents, and all DCS employees and contractors are mandatory reporters under section 13-3620.

Creates criminal penalties and a 10-year employment ban for any person who assigns lower priority to children under DCS jurisdiction, with prosecutorial discretion exclusively with the grand jury.

Requires hotline workers to use uniform risk assessment tools to determine abuse/neglect severity, identify criminal conduct, and assign appropriate investigative tracks based on child safety risk.

Mandates that representatives from the Office of Child Welfare Investigations and Inspections Bureau be embedded in the hotline to carry out their respective purposes and duties.

Requires DCS reports to include specific information when available: reporter identity, suspected abuser contact information, child details, nature of abuse/neglect indications, and prior abuse/neglect history.