DEATH OF CHILD IN STATE CARE H.B. 4385 (H-1) & 4387 (H-1): FLOOR SUMMARY
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House Bill 4385 (Substitute H-1 as reported without amendment)
House Bill 4387 (Substitute H-1 as reported without amendment)
Sponsor: Representative Margaret O'Brien (H.B. 4385) Representative Thomas Hooker (H.B. 4387)
House Committee: Families, Children, and Seniors
Senate Committee: Families, Seniors, and Human Services

CONTENT
House Bill 4385 (H-1) would amend the Child Protection Law to require the Department of Human Services (DHS), if a child died while under the court's jurisdiction in a suspected abuse or neglect case, to notify the court, the State legislators representing the district in which the court was located, and the Children's Ombudsman. The bill also would require the DHS to notify the Ombudsman within one business day if a child died during an active Child Protective Services (CPS) investigation or an open CPS case, there had been previous complaints about the child's caretaker, or the death could have resulted from abuse or neglect.


House Bill 4387 (H-1) would amend the Child Protection Law to do the following:

-- Require a child fatality review team and the advisory committee created under the Law to include a representative of a State or local court.
-- Require the citizen review panel to review each child fatality involving allegations of abuse or neglect for each child who, at the time of death or within the prior year, was under the family court's jurisdiction in an abuse or neglect case.
-- Require the advisory committee to transmit its annual report of child fatalities to the DHS, and require the Department to ensure the publication of the report between 30 and 60 days after the advisory committee transmitted it.


Proposed MCL 722.627k (H.B. 4385) Legislative Analyst: Suzanne Lowe
MCL 722.627b (H.B. 4387)

FISCAL IMPACT
The bills would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.


Date Completed: 6-13-11 Fiscal Analyst: Frances Carley

Analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. hb4385&4387/1112