FINAL BILL REPORT

                  SSB 5511

                         PARTIAL VETO

                          C 282 L 97

                      Synopsis as Enacted

 

Brief Description:  Modifying provisions relating to retention of reports of child abuse or neglect.

 

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Human Services & Corrections (originally sponsored by Senators Stevens, Hargrove, Zarelli, Haugen, Benton, Strannigan, Rasmussen, Hochstatter, Schow and Goings).

 

Senate Committee on Human Services & Corrections

House Committee on Children & Family Services

 

Background:  Before 1987, the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) entered substan­tiated and unsubstantiated reports and information into a record-keeping system known as the Central Registry for Child Abuse and Neglect.  The Central Registry was used to track child abuse and neglect reports.  Persons who were the subject of reports in the Central Registry were provided notice and given the opportunity to challenge reports in the Central Registry.  In 1987, the Legislature repealed the Central Registry and replaced it with back­ground checks of pending criminal charges, criminal histories, civil adjudications, or disciplinary board final decisions related to child abuse or neglect through the Washington State Patrol crime computer.

 

The Department of Social and Health Services has continued to collect and use substantiated and unsubstantiated reports of child abuse and neglect on a new computer system known as the case and management information system (CAMIS) to conduct background checks on individuals.

 

Summary:  The Department of Social and Health Services must purge, after six years, information in files or reports of child abuse and neglect if the information is related to unfounded referrals and no new reports have been received within the six years.  AUnfounded@ is defined to mean:  AAvailable evidence indicates that, more likely than not, child abuse or neglect did not occur.@

 

The department must notify people who are the subject of reports of child abuse or neglect at a point when the child and the investigation will not be jeopardized.  The person must be advised that they may file a written response in the record.  A person interested in working at a licensed child care agency may request an informal meeting with the department to discuss and contest the information in the record.

 

Votes on Final Passage:

 

Senate 45 1

House     98 0 (House amended)

Senate        (Senate refused to concur)

House     98 0 (House amended)

Senate    38 0 (Senate concurred)

 

Effective:  July 27, 1997

 

Partial Veto Summary:  The Governor vetoed a portion of the bill that required DSHS to collect and report data regarding the CAMIS system.