AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- CHILD ADVOCATE OFFICE (Requires state agency cited in reports of the child fatality review panel to provide child advocate, speaker, senate president and governor with written response within 180 days addressing implementation of report recommendations.)

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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LC005351
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LC005351 - Page 3 of 3