House committee cites tribal communication failures in recommending child-welfare bill

The Committee of the Whole recommended that Senate Bill 11-25 be reported do pass after Health and Human Services presented the measure and committee recommendations. Representative Bliss moved the committee report and framed SB 11-25 as the first of many bills arising from Department of Child Services access hearings.

Bliss said the bill resulted from multiple stakeholder meetings following the tragedy of a tribal child, Emily Pike, and described a pattern of communication failures between tribal authorities and the state's Department of Child Services. Bliss added that DCS signed in to support the bill and that agency staff have begun implementing some of the bill's provisions.

Supporters described SB 11-25 as part of a broader package of reforms responding to hearing findings; members were warned to expect numerous related bills. The Committee of the Whole reported the bill and it was referred to engrossing.