Parental Notification Bill Passes Michigan Senate
The Michigan Senate unanimously passed legislation today that would require child care organizations to notify parents if a high risk investigation is being conducted involving their child’s care giver.
Sponsored by State Senator Bill Hardiman (R-29, Kentwood), vice chair of the Senate Families and Human Services Committee, the bill requires that parents must be notified within 24 hours after a child care organization receives notice from the Michigan Department of Human Services (DHS) that a high risk investigation is being conducted.
Senate Bill 97 states that the DHS should conduct a high risk investigation if any of the following conditions occur:
- Abuse or neglect is the suspected cause of a child’s death;
- A child is the victim of suspected sexual abuse or sexual exploitation; or
- Abuse or neglect that resulted in severe physical injury to a child.
This legislation is a reintroduction of Senate Bill 1253 from last term. The bill received unanimous support in both chambers. Because of a technical error, however, the measure was not signed into law.
