Signed by Governor Ron DeSantis

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to amend and pass a bill that amends child welfare training standards.

Highlights:

• Requires circuit and county judges that have responsibility for dependency cases to undergo training to recognize and respond to head trauma and brain injury in children 6 or younger (Sec. 2).

• Requires the Department of Law Enforcement on March 1, 2021 to provide information to police officers stating whether a person is a parent currently the subject of a child abuse invesitigation (Sec. 3). 

• Requires police officers to report any interactions with parents that are the subject of a child abuse investigation to the central abuse hotline (Sec. 3). 

• Requires the central abuse hotline to provide any relevant information to (Sec. 3):

• The child protective investigator; or

• The child’s case manager and attorney representing the department.

• Requires employees of the Department of Children and Families to undergo training to recognize and appropriately respond to head trauma and brain injury in children 6 or younger (Sec. 4).

• Establishes that this bill takes effect on July 1, 2020 (Sec. 12).

Full Bill Text