Official Summary Text
SB1175 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet
Assigned to
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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session
FACT SHEET FOR
S.B. 1175
DCS caseworkers;
investigations; child photographs
Purpose
Effective
January 1, 2027, requires a Department of Child Safety (DCS) caseworker to
photograph a child who is the subject of an investigation of alleged abuse or
neglect each time the caseworker interacts with the child and to review all
photographs of the child to consider any decline in the child's appearance or
health.
Background
DCS was
established to protect the children of Arizona by: 1) investigating reports of
abuse and neglect; 2) assessing, promoting and supporting the safety of a child
in a safe and stable family or other appropriate placement in response to
allegations of abuse or neglect; 3) working cooperatively with law enforcement
regarding reports that include criminal conduct allegations; and 4) without
compromising child safety, coordinating services to achieve and maintain
permanency on behalf of the child, strengthen the family and provide
prevention, intervention and treatment services (
A.R.S.
� 8-451
).
The DCS Program Policy Manual requires
photographs to be taken of any child who presents with visible injuries or
indicators of abuse or neglect. It is preferred that the child's photograph be
taken by law enforcement, a child advocacy center or a medical professional,
though a caseworker may take the photographs if none of those personnel are
available. Photographs of the child can be taken without permission of the
parent, guardian or custodian (
DCS
).
There is no
anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.
Provisions
1.
Requires a DCS caseworker to photograph a child and maintain the
photograph in the child's case file each time the caseworker interacts with the
child, if the child is the subject of an investigation for an allegation of
abuse or neglect.
2.
Requires the DCS caseworker to review all photographs of the child and
consider any decline in the child's appearance or health.
3.
Becomes effective on January 1, 2027.
Prepared by Senate Research
January 23, 2026
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Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
SB1175 - 572R - S Ver
Senate Engrossed
DCS caseworkers;
investigations; child photographs
State of Arizona
Senate
Fifty-seventh Legislature
Second Regular Session
2026
SENATE BILL 1175
AN
ACT
amending title 8, chapter 4, article 4, arizona
revised statutes, by adding section 8-530.10; relating to child welfare.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Title 8, chapter 4, article 4,
Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 8-530.10, to read:
START_STATUTE
8-530.10.
DCS caseworkers; investigations; child photographs; safety plan
Each time a department caseworker has contact or
interacts with a CHILD who is the subject of a department investigation for an
allegation of abuse or neglect, the caseworker shall photograph the child and
maintain the photograph in the child's case file. when making a
safety plan for a child, the caseworker shall review all PHOTOGRAPHS of the
child and consider any decline in the child's appearance or health.
END_STATUTE
Sec. 2.
Effective date
Section 8-530.10, Arizona
Revised Statutes, as added by this act, is effective from and after December
31, 2026.