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S2976
2026 -- S 2976
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LC005351
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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A N A C T
RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- CHILD ADVOCATE OFFICE
Introduced By:
Senators de la Cruz, and Rogers
Date Introduced:
March 04, 2026
Referred To:
Senate Judiciary
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Section 42-73-2.3 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-73 entitled "Child
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Advocate Office" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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42-73-2.3. Child fatality reviews.
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(a) The department of children, youth and families shall notify the office of the child
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advocate verbally and electronically within forty-eight (48) hours of a confirmed fatality or near
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fatality of a child who is the subject of a DCYF case and shall provide the office of the child
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advocate with access to any written material about the case.
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(b) The child advocate, working with a voluntary and confidential child fatality review
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panel, whose members may vary on a case-by-case basis, shall review the case records of all
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notifications in accordance with subsection (a) of fatalities and near fatalities of children under
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twenty-one (21) years of age, if:
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(1) The fatality or near fatality occurs while in the custody of, or involved with, the
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department, or if the child’s family previously received services from the department;
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(2) The fatality or near fatality is alleged to be from abuse or neglect of the child and the
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child or child’s family had prior contact with the department; or
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(3) A sibling, household member, or daycare provider has been the subject of a child abuse
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and neglect investigation within the previous twelve (12) months, including, without limitation,
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cases in which the report was unsubstantiated or the investigation is currently pending.
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(c) The child fatality review panel shall assess and analyze such cases; make
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recommendations regarding such cases; and make recommendations for improvements to laws,
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policies, and practices that support the safety of children. Each report shall be made public within
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thirty (30) days of its completion.
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(d) The members of the child fatality review panel, established in accordance with this
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section, shall be subject to the confidentiality provisions of § 42-73-10.
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(e) The child advocate shall publicly announce the convening of a child fatality review
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panel, including the age of the child involved.
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(f) Any state agency cited in the report shall submit a written response within one hundred
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eighty (180) days to the child advocate, the speaker of the house, president of the senate and
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governor detailing the respective agency’s specific response to recommendations made pursuant to
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subsection (c) of this section. The written response shall include:
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(1) The recommendations the agency is capable of implementing, within its existing
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authority and resources;
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(2) The recommendations the agency will not implement with a corresponding reason why
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implementation will not occur; and
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(3) An implementation plan for necessary program planning and practice changes needed
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in order to address implementation of recommendations.
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(g) Reports required pursuant to this section shall be completed within six (6) months of
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the date of any measure implemented by agencies cited in response to recommendations pursuant
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to subsection (c) of this section.
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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- CHILD ADVOCATE OFFICE
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This act would require any state agency cited in reports of the child fatality review panel
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to provide the child advocate, speaker of the house, senate president and governor with a written
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response within one hundred eighty days addressing implementation of report recommendations.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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