wa-law.org > bill > 2025-26 > SB 6319 > Original Bill

SB 6319 - Child welfare time extension

Source

Section 1

(1)(a) When any member of the clergy, practitioner, county coroner or medical examiner, law enforcement officer, professional school personnel, registered or licensed nurse, social service counselor, psychologist, pharmacist, employee of the department of children, youth, and families, licensed or certified child care providers or their employees, employee of the department of social and health services, juvenile probation officer, diversion unit staff, placement and liaison specialist, responsible living skills program staff, HOPE center staff, state family and children's ombuds or any volunteer in the ombuds' office, or host home program has reasonable cause to believe that a child has suffered abuse or neglect, he or she shall report such incident, or cause a report to be made, to the proper law enforcement agency or to the department as provided in RCW 26.44.040.

Section 2

  1. By November 15, 2029, and in compliance with RCW 43.01.036, the office of the family and children's ombuds shall provide a report to the legislature and governor regarding the department of children, youth, and families work with children under the age of four where the case is open for longer than 90 days and high-potency synthetic opioids are present as described in RCW 26.44.030(13). At a minimum, the report must include:

    1. The number of cases deemed to fall under the category described in this subsection from January 1, 2027, through June 30, 2029;

    2. The types of referrals and services offered to families;

    3. The length of time the cases were kept open by the department of children, youth, and families;

    4. The number of cases that resulted in the filing of a dependency petition;

    5. The number of cases that were subsequently closed with no further contact from the department of children, youth, and families, including no subsequent reports of child abuse or neglect to child protective services;

    6. Recommendations to the legislature regarding keeping cases open longer than 90 days that involve a child under the age of four when high-potency synthetic opioids are present; and

    7. Any additional information the ombuds deems useful.

  2. This section expires April 1, 2030.

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