SB1252 Summary

• Establishes an independent maltreatment fatality and near fatality oversight committee within the department of administration to review child deaths and near-deaths resulting from abuse, abandonment, or neglect.

• Committee composition includes four nonvoting advisory members (DCS director, DES director, legislative oversight committee cochairpersons, and a juvenile court judge) and nine voting members appointed by the director of administration (including a pediatrician, medical examiner, peace officer, attorney, social worker, parent advocate, former foster child, foster parent, and data analytics expert).

• Grants the committee access to complete and unredacted records from the department of child safety and other state agencies, with a five-day response requirement for record requests.

• Requires the committee to conduct thorough reviews of each maltreatment fatality or near fatality, analyze systemic factors, identify best practices, and publish annual reports with recommendations for statutory, regulatory, or policy improvements.

• Protects committee proceedings and information as confidential, not subject to subpoena or discovery in civil or criminal cases, with violations classified as a class 2 misdemeanor.