Revision: Jan. 24, 2017, 10:21 a.m.
SB 63 - AS INTRODUCED
2017 SESSION
17-0828
05/04
SENATE BILL 63
AN ACT relative to record management of abuse and neglect reports.
SPONSORS: Sen. Carson, Dist 14; Sen. Bradley, Dist 3; Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 21; Rep. Weber, Ches. 1; Rep. Guthrie, Rock. 13; Rep. Berrien, Rock. 18
COMMITTEE: Health and Human Services
-----------------------------------------------------------------
This bill revises the record retention requirements for founded, unfounded, and screened-out reports of abuse or neglect.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
17-0828
05/04
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Seventeen
AN ACT relative to record management of abuse and neglect reports.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Paragraph; Child Protection Act; Definition of Screened-Out Report. Amend RSA 169-C:3 by inserting after paragraph XXVII-a the following new paragraph:
XXVII-b. “Screened-out report” means a report made pursuant to this chapter that the department has determined does not rise to the level of a credible report of abuse or neglect and is not referred for assessment.
2 Child Protection Act; Records Management of Abuse and Neglect Reports. RSA 169-C:35-a is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:
169-C:35-a Records Management of Abuse and Neglect Reports.
I. The department shall retain a screened-out report for 7 years from the date that the report was screened out. If during the 7-year retention period, the department receives a subsequent report of abuse or neglect concerning the same alleged perpetrator or the same child or any siblings or other children in the same household or in the care of the same adults, the department shall retain information from the prior and subsequent reports for an additional 7 years from the date a subsequent report is screened out, an additional 10 years from the date a subsequent report is deemed unfounded, and indefinitely if the subsequent report is deemed founded. The department shall delete or destroy all electronic and paper records of the reports when the retention period for the most recent report expires.
II. The department shall retain an unfounded report for 10 years from the date that the department determined the case to be unfounded. If during the 10-year retention period, the department receives a subsequent report of abuse or neglect concerning the same alleged perpetrator or the same child or any siblings or other children in the same household or in the care of the same adults, the department shall retain the information from the prior and subsequent reports for an additional 10 years from the date the subsequent report is screened out or deemed unfounded, or indefinitely if the subsequent report is deemed founded. The department shall delete or destroy all electronic and paper records of the reports when the most recent report expires.
III. The department shall retain a founded report indefinitely.
IV. Nothing in this section shall prevent the department from retaining generic, non-identifying information which is required for state and federal reporting and management purposes.
3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2018.