HB 1565: Children; Children's Code; directing that certain referral be immediately reported to law enforcement agency; directing Department of Human Services to maintain certain record; effective date. - Oklahoma

Floor (House) → Floor (Senate) · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to add the Senate's version of HB 1565, which strengthens child abuse reporting requirements. Key changes include requiring hotline supervisors to ensure reports are made before referrals are screened out, adding specific tracking requirements for calls, and clarifying that school employees must report to both the Department of Human Services and local law enforcement for abuse cases involving children under 18.

Scope change

The bill now applies more clearly to school employees, requiring them to report abuse to both the Department of Human Services and local law enforcement, and adds specific protections for reporting school employees against retaliation.

REQUIREMENT

Hotline supervisors must ensure reports are made to law enforcement before referrals are screened out.

Added specific tracking requirements for calls received, including calls screened out, referrals assigned, calls from unwilling callers, and unsubstantiated allegations.

School employees must report abuse to both the Department of Human Services and local law enforcement for children under 18.

ENFORCEMENT

Added protections preventing retaliation against employees who report abuse or provide testimony in child abuse cases.

DEFINITION

Clarified that school employees reporting abuse of children 18 or older only need to report to local law enforcement, not the Department of Human Services.

House Committee Substitute → Floor (House) · 1 edit

MINOR

The bill text was reformatted from a Committee Substitute version to the House Floor version, with minor line breaks and spacing adjustments. No substantive policy changes, new requirements, or legal amendments were made to the bill's content.

TECHNICAL

Formatting and line breaks were adjusted to match the House Floor version layout, but the actual legislative text and legal requirements remain unchanged.

Proposed Policy Committee Substitute 1 → House Committee Substitute · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was substantially rewritten from a proposed policy committee substitute to a house committee substitute, which reorganized the structure and added new provisions. The changes clarify reporting requirements for child abuse and neglect, expand protections for reporters, and add specific mandates for law enforcement reporting in certain cases.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to include new protections against retaliation for reporters and clarified reporting requirements for school employees and healthcare professionals.

REQUIREMENT

Reorganized the bill structure to conform to standard legislative format, removing 'Proposed Policy Committee Substitute' branding and updating section numbering.

Added requirement for hotline supervisors to ensure reports to law enforcement are made upon receipt of certain referrals.

Added specific requirement for school employees to report suspected abuse or neglect to both the Department of Human Services and local law enforcement.

Modified reporting requirements for healthcare professionals to include specific conditions like Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.

ENFORCEMENT

Added new protections prohibiting retaliation against individuals who report suspected child abuse or neglect, with provisions for damages and attorney fees.

Enrolled (final version) → Proposed Policy Committee Substitute 1 · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to replace the entire original text with a new version that maintains the same core purpose but restructures the language and formatting. The substantive policy content regarding child abuse reporting requirements, hotline operations, and mandatory reporting obligations remains largely the same, though some wording was slightly modified for clarity and consistency.

TECHNICAL

The bill title and header information were updated to reflect it as a proposed policy committee substitute rather than the enrolled final version.

Formatting and line numbering were reorganized to match the policy committee substitute format, including page references and amendment adoption sections.

Page breaks and section numbering were reorganized to conform to the policy committee substitute format, though the actual statutory content remains substantively unchanged.

REQUIREMENT

Minor wording adjustments were made throughout the text, such as changing 'be immediately reported in writing' to 'directing that certain referral be immediately reported to law enforcement agency, in writing' for consistency.

Some language was simplified, such as changing 'The hotline supervisor shall ensure that a report has been made upon receipt of a referral prior to the referral being screened out' to 'The hotline supervisor shall ensure that a report has been made upon receipt of a referral.'

Engrossed → Enrolled (final version) · 5 edits · May 5, 2025

MODERATE

The bill transitioned from an Engrossed version to an Enrolled final version with substantive changes to reporting requirements, confidentiality protections, and record-keeping obligations for child abuse and neglect cases. The final version clarifies reporting duties for school employees, adds specific requirements for law enforcement confidentiality of reporting school employee identities, and expands documentation requirements for medical professionals.

Scope change

The bill's scope remained focused on child abuse and neglect reporting requirements, but the final version added more specific protections for school employees and clarified the confidentiality requirements for law enforcement regarding who made the reports.

REQUIREMENT

Added specific requirement that school employees reporting abuse must also notify local law enforcement, not just the Department of Human Services.

Added requirement for medical professionals and hospitals to provide examination results, clinical notes, x-rays, photographs, and other relevant records to law enforcement and DHS during investigations.

Added requirement for hotline supervisors to ensure written reports are made to law enforcement before referrals are screened out.

ENFORCEMENT

Modified confidentiality provisions to explicitly require law enforcement to keep reporting school employee identities confidential unless ordered by court or needed for investigation.

TECHNICAL

Changed document header from 'ENGROSSED HOUSE' to 'ENROLLED HOUSE' indicating final legislative approval.

Introduced → Engrossed · 6 edits · Apr 29, 2025

MODERATE

The bill was restructured and expanded to strengthen child abuse reporting requirements. It now establishes a centralized hotline, mandates immediate written law enforcement reports for certain cases, adds specific reporting duties for school employees regarding older students, and includes new protections against retaliation for reporters.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from a general Department of Human Services referral act to a comprehensive child abuse reporting framework with specific requirements for different types of reporters including school employees and healthcare professionals.

REQUIREMENT

Establishes a statewide centralized hotline for child abuse reporting with specific tracking and recording requirements.

Requires immediate written reports to law enforcement when the alleged perpetrator is not responsible for the child's care.

Mandates healthcare professionals report infants testing positive for alcohol or controlled substances, including those with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome or Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.

ELIGIBILITY

Adds specific reporting requirements for school employees regarding students aged 18 and older, previously only covered for minors.

ENFORCEMENT

Includes anti-retaliation provisions protecting reporters from employer discrimination and allowing legal action for damages.

TECHNICAL

Changed the bill title from 'Department of Human Services Referral Act' to focus on children and amended specific Oklahoma Statute sections.

Children; Children's Code; directing that certain referral be immediately reported to law enforcement agency; directing Department of Human Services to maintain certain record; effective date.

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