00HOUSE BILL NO. 350                                                                                                      
01 "An Act requiring that all official interviews with children who are alleged to                                         
02 have been abused or neglected be videotaped."                                                                           
03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
04    * Section 1.  AS 47.17.027(a) is amended to read:                                                                    
05  (a)  If the department or a law enforcement agency provides written                                                   
06 certification to the child's school officials that (1) there is reasonable cause to suspect                             
07 that the child has been abused or neglected by a person responsible for the child's                                     
08 welfare or as a result of conditions created by a person responsible for the child's                                    
09 welfare; (2) an interview at school is a necessary part of an investigation to determine                                
10 whether the child has been abused or neglected; and (3) the interview at school is in                                   
11 the best interests of the child, school officials shall permit the child to be interviewed                              
12 at school by the department or a law enforcement agency before notification of, or                                      
13 receiving permission from, the child's parent, guardian, or custodian.  A school official                               
14 shall be present during an interview at the school unless the child objects or the                                      

01 department or law enforcement agency determines that the presence of the school                                         
02 official will interfere with the investigation.  The interview shall be videotaped as                                  
03 required by AS 47.17.035.  Immediately after conducting an interview authorized                                        
04 under this section, and after informing the child of the intention to notify the child's                                
05 parent, guardian, or custodian, the department or agency shall make every reasonable                                    
06 effort to notify the child's parent, guardian, or custodian that the interview occurred                                 
07 unless it appears to the department or agency that notifying the child's parent,                                        
08 guardian, or custodian would endanger the child.                                                                        
09    * Sec. 2.  AS 47.17 is amended by adding a new section to read:                                                      
10   Sec. 47.17.035.  VIDEOTAPING OF INTERVIEWS.  Upon receiving a report                                                 
11 that a child has been abused or neglected, an officer, employee, or agent of the                                        
12 department, a local government health or social services agency, a law enforcement                                      
13 agency, or another state or local government agency or unit may not interview the                                       
14 child concerning the alleged abuse or neglect unless the interview is videotaped.