HB24-1046 Summary

• Requires child abuse reports to include evidence of known domestic violence or intimate partner violence in the child's home, including previous cases.

• Mandates the state department develop and implement a consistent screening process for county departments responding to child abuse hotline reports that includes questions about domestic violence or intimate partner violence.

• Requires the state department to review screening processes used by county departments and hotline operators to improve accuracy in determining race, ethnicity, disability status, LGBTQ identity, and English proficiency, and implement recommended best practices.

• Directs the Office of the Child Protection Ombudsman to contract with a third-party evaluator by January 15, 2025, to audit the Colorado Family Safety Assessment and Colorado Family Risk Assessment tools, with a report due March 1, 2026.

• Appropriates $109,392 to the judicial department for the Office of the Child Protection Ombudsman for the 2024-25 fiscal year, based on 0.5 additional FTE.