Supporting The Child Protection Ombudsman

The act exempts an employee or person acting on behalf of the office of the child protection ombudsman (ombudsman) from testifying in a civil or criminal proceeding in which the ombudsman is not a legal party. The act prohibits information, documents, and reports requested and reviewed by the ombudsman from being subpoenaed in a civil or criminal proceeding in which the ombudsman is not a legal party.

The act authorizes the ombudsman to receive information, records, or documents related to an incident of egregious abuse or neglect, near fatality, or fatality of a child during the course of an investigation of a complaint. The department of public health and environment's child fatality prevention review team shall provide the ombudsman the nonidentifying case review findings and recommendations related to an investigation of a complaint. The department of human services' child fatality review team shall provide the ombudsman the final confidential, case-specific review report related to an investigation of a complaint. If electronic copies are not available, the ombudsman shall access, review, and receive copies of documents without cost to the ombudsman.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)