The bill 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 bill 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 bill authorizes the ombudsman to receive information, records,
or documents related to a critical incident, 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. The bill also requires the department of human services' division of youth services to provide the ombudsman information, records, and documents related to a critical incident. If electronic copies are not available, the ombudsman shall access, review, and receive copies of documents without cost to the ombudsman.
