04/04/2018 01:30 PM Senate FINANCE

SENATE BILL NO. 122                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act  repealing the authority  for a child  abuse or                                                                    
     neglect  citizen  review  panel in  the  Department  of                                                                    
     Health and Social Services;  and establishing the Child                                                                    
     Protection Citizen  Review Panel  in the office  of the                                                                    
     ombudsman."                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
2:10:33 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair   Bishop  MOVED   to  ADOPT   proposed  committee                                                                    
substitute  for  SB  122, Work  Draft  30-LS0047\R  (Laffen,                                                                    
4/3/18).                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair MacKinnon OBJECTED for discussion.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
RYNNIEVA MOSS,  STAFF, SENATOR  JOHN COGHILL,  discussed the                                                                    
bill. She stated  that the main function of the  bill was to                                                                    
transfer the  review panel to  the Legislative  Branch under                                                                    
the  Office  of  the  Ombudsman.  She  stated  that  it  was                                                                    
determined  that  there  was a  close  tie  between  federal                                                                    
dollars  through the  Child Protection  Act and  the general                                                                    
fund dollars that were used  to fund the review panel. There                                                                    
would have needed to have  some creative accounting in order                                                                    
to move  the panel.  She stated that  it was  withdrawn, but                                                                    
required more  accountability between  the review  panel and                                                                    
Office of Children's Services (OCS);  and between the review                                                                    
panel and  the legislature.  The sections  of the  bill that                                                                    
transferred  the  review  panel   to  the  legislature  were                                                                    
deleted.  She  stated that  the  bill  would direct  OCS  to                                                                    
provide  the panel  with  reasonably necessary  professional                                                                    
and technical  assistance. She  related that  it statutorily                                                                    
directed  the panel  to facilitate  public participation  in                                                                    
developing  and implementing  child protection  policies and                                                                    
practices.  She remarked  that it  also reinserted  language                                                                    
that  the panel  be  composed of  volunteer members  broadly                                                                    
representative of the  state. It also adds  a provision that                                                                    
at lease  one member  from each  of the  five administrative                                                                    
regions of OCS  be on the panel. The bill  also directed the                                                                    
panel to review policies and  procedures of OCS on an annual                                                                    
basis, and to report those  findings to the legislature. She                                                                    
stated that  it adds a  section that required the  panel and                                                                    
the department  to prepare a  joint report to  the governor,                                                                    
legislature, and  public every three years.  The report must                                                                    
include an  assessment of  the panel,  any panel  staff; and                                                                    
the responsiveness of OCS, and any constraints.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair MacKinnon  WITHDREW her  OBJECTION. There  being NO                                                                    
OBJECTION, the proposed committee substitute was adopted.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair MacKinnon wondered what  the bill was attempting to                                                                    
solve.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Moss replied  that  the  bill was  intended  to make  a                                                                    
public  awareness of  the panel.  She stated  that the  term                                                                    
"Child Protection  Citizen Review Panel" was  defined in the                                                                    
bill.  There  was   also  an  attempt  to   make  the  panel                                                                    
accountable   and  a   purpose   that   could  benefit   the                                                                    
legislature and OCS.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
2:16:01 PM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
2:16:31 PM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair MacKinnon OPENED public testimony.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair MacKinnon CLOSED public testimony.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SB  122  was  HEARD  and   HELD  in  committee  for  further                                                                    
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
2:17:25 PM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
2:18:45 PM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED