This amended fiscal note results from information recently received from the Department of Human Services. The bill requires the Division of Child and Family Services to create a database in its Management Information System that will permit the Office of Licensing to identify individuals with substantiated findings of child abuse. Individuals in this data base will be notified of such action and have rights to request an amendment or a hearing. The Division shall review all such cases back to 1988 and will notify all individuals listed on the substantiated list, advising them of their rights. There is the potential for a significant number of requests for hearings. In some of the older cases, caseworkers and other principals involved in a case could be difficult to locate. The Division will transfer a staff attorney from the Human Resources Office and the $54,000 budgeted with this position. The bill has also been amended to allow the Department of Health direct access to the database. Therefore, the Department of Human Services will not need a new technician or secretary at an estimated cost of $35,800. The Department of Health has staff that provide this service. As amended, there is no fiscal impact from passage of this legislation.

Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst