HB1337 Summary

• Revises forensic interviews conducted by child advocacy centers in abuse and neglect investigations to be classified as records involving children subject to confidentiality protections under youth court law.

• Authorizes disclosure of youth court records to guardians ad litem, expands disclosure for trial purposes, allows Department of Child Protection Services to share certain records, and permits waiver of confidentiality in cases of child deaths or critical injuries.

• Creates mandatory reporting requirements for law enforcement, firefighters, medical personnel, and other designated reporters to report child fatalities and near fatalities (medically serious or critical conditions) to the State Child Abuse Hotline, with penalties of up to $5,000 fine or one year imprisonment for violations.

• Requires all youth court oral orders and custody orders to be reduced to writing within 48 hours and clarifies that probable cause for custody based on parental controlled substance use must involve evidence-based findings of harm, not solely positive drug tests.

• Modifies adoption supplemental benefits, temporary power of attorney provisions for child custody delegation, educational services in juvenile detention centers, and expands review hearing circumstances for dependent and abused/neglected children.