Montana legislation · 2025 Regular Session
Montana SB206: Generally revise laws related to child abuse and neglect proceedings and investigations
Status: Signed into law, April 17, 2025
What the bill says
An act generally revising laws related to child abuse and neglect proceedings and investigations; providing for a child protection investigator and child reunification specialist; establishing the authority of and certification requirements for child protection investigators and child reunification specialists; amending sections 41-3-102, 41-3-108, 41-3-127, 41-3-128, 41-3-129, 41-3-130, 41-3201, 41-3-202, 41-3-205, 41-3-216, 41-3-301, 41-3-307, 41-3-427, and 41-3-445, mca; and providing an effective date.
From the engrossed text:
AN ACT GENERALLY REVISING LAWS RELATED TO CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT PROCEEDINGS AND INVESTIGATIONS; PROVIDING FOR A CHILD PROTECTION INVESTIGATOR AND CHILD REUNIFICATION SPECIALIST; ESTABLISHING THE AUTHORITY OF AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR CHILD PROTECTION INVESTIGATORS AND CHILD REUNIFICATION SPECIALISTS; AMENDING SECTIONS 41-3-102, 41-3-108, 41-3-127, 41-3-128, 41-3-129, 41-3-130, 41-3201, 41-3-202, 41-3-205, 41-3-216, 41-3-301, 41-3-307, 41-3-427, AND 41-3-445, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. Section 1. Child protection investigator and child reunification specialist -- scope of authority. (1) The role of a child protection investigator is to investigate allegations of child abuse or neglect. A child protection investigator serves as the primary representative of the department in child abuse and neglect investigations and proceedings prior to the removal of a child. The authority of a child protection investigator (b) removing a child under the requirements of 41-3-301; (c) participating in a prehearing conference under 41-3-307; (d) furnishing an affidavit to support a petition filed under 41-3-422 for the relief available under 413-422(1)(a); (e) testifying to the facts surrounding an investigation of child abuse or neglect and removal of a child or reasonable efforts to prevent removal of a child (ii) a show cause hearing, as provided in 41-3-432; - 1 - Authorized Print Version - SB 206 ENROLLED BILL - 2025 69th Legislature 2025 SB 206 (iii) an adjudicatory hearing, as provided …