INDIANAPOLIS, IND. (WOWO) Indiana lawmakers are moving forward with legislation that would require the Department of Child Services to release more information about how it handles child abuse investigations involving deaths or near fatalities. House Bill 1257, which advanced unanimously Monday from the Senate Family and Children Services Committee, would require DCS to complete public summaries outlining how staff responded to abuse reports in cases involving child fatalities or near fatalities. The bill also calls for expanded detail in the agency’s annual child fatality reports. According to reporting from the Indiana Capital Chronicle, the legislation would allow DCS to confirm or clarify information to the news media in cases involving suspected child abuse or neglect deaths. The agency would be required to respond to media inquiries within 10 days, providing basic information including the child’s age, gender and any prior DCS involvement. Republican Representative Julie McGuire of Indianapolis, the bill’s author, told the committee the measure is aimed at increasing transparency and accountability when children die after prior contact with the child welfare system. McGuire said current law prevents DCS from responding even when incorrect information about an investigation is publicly reported. The bill would also require DCS to provide lawmakers with unredacted reports detailing how the agency and courts responded to abuse allegations. Legislators would be prohibited from publicly disclosing the records, except for legitimate governmental purposes related to child protection. The committee also approved a related measure, House Bill 1036, which would require in-person contact with an alleged victim before DCS can close an abuse or neglect assessment or dismiss a juvenile court case. House Bill 1257 previously passed the Indiana House unanimously and now moves to the full Senate for consideration. The post Indiana DCS Could Face New Reporting Rules in Child Death Cases appeared first on WOWO News/Talk 92.3 FM and 1190 AM. ...read more read less