MontanaMontana child welfare officials would gather police reports before court filings
The proposed measure would require Montana's child welfare department to obtain reports about adults named in a petition before filing its court affidavit.
What it does
Before filing an affidavit in a child abuse or neglect case, the department would obtain law enforcement reports involving adults named in the petition. The affidavit would include available case records and verified information that cuts against the claim or requested relief.
Argument forIncluding available records and verified evidence that cuts against a claim could help a court consider more of the case before acting.
Argument againstHaving to obtain reports about every adult party could delay an affidavit if law enforcement takes time to provide them.
More detail
The department would obtain law enforcement reports involving adult parties named in a petition before filing its affidavit. These provisions concern petitions filed under Montana's child abuse and neglect laws and adults named as parties in those petitions. The affidavit would include available investigative materials and records showing the final result of any criminal case filed because of the abuse or neglect allegation. The affidavit and attachments would include information that tends to contradict or weaken the allegation or requested relief, and only information verified as accurate when filed. The department would obtain the reports before filing its affidavit. The information in the affidavit and attachments would be verified as accurate when filed.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Died
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2025
- May 23(S) Died in ProcessDied
- Apr 7(H) Tabled in Committee - (H) Human ServicesMinor
- Vote recorded to_table. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 24(H) Hearing - (H) Human Services
- Mar 6(H) 1st Reading
- Mar 5(H) Referred to Committee - (H) Human ServicesMinor
- Vote recorded Do Pass. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 5(S) Transmitted to House
- Mar 5(S) 3rd Reading
- Mar 5(S) Scheduled for 3rd ReadingMinor
- Mar 4(S) 2nd ReadingMinor
- Vote recorded Do Pass. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 4(S) Scheduled for 2nd ReadingMinor
- Mar 1(S) Committee Report - (S) Public Health, Welfare and Safety
- Vote recorded do_pass_as_amended. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 1(S) Committee Executive Action - (S) Public Health, Welfare and Safety
- Feb 14(S) Tabled in Committee - (S) Public Health, Welfare and SafetyMinor
- Vote recorded to_table. Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 31(S) Hearing - (S) Public Health, Welfare and Safety
- Jan 29(S) Referred to Committee - (S) Public Health, Welfare and SafetyMinor
- Jan 29(S) 1st Reading
- Jan 29(S) Introduced
- Jan 28(LC) Draft Delivered to Requester
- Jan 28(LC) Draft Ready for Delivery
- Jan 28(LC) Draft in Assembly
- Jan 27(LC) Draft in Final Drafter Review
- Jan 27(LC) Draft in Input/Proofing
- Jan 26(LC) Draft in Edit
- Jan 24(LC) Draft in Legal Review
- 2024
- Nov 27(LC) Drafter AssignedIntroduced
Criminal Justice