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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, First Regular Session
DCS; school visits; identification requirements
Purpose
Requires a Department of Child Safety (DCS) caseworker to present identification when visiting a child in the care of DCS at the child's school.
Background
DCS was established with the primary purpose of protecting children.
Required DCS duties necessary to achieve that purpose include: 1) investigating
reports of abuse and neglect;
2) assessing, promoting and supporting the safety of a child in a safe and
stable family; 3) working cooperatively with law enforcement regarding reports
that include criminal conduct allegations; and 4) without compromising child
safety, coordinating services to achieve and maintain permanency on behalf of
the child, strengthen the family and provide child-safety prevention,
intervention and treatment services (A.R.S.
§ 8-451).
Statute requires a child to be taken into temporary custody pursuant to one of the following: 1) a superior court order; 2) without a court order by a peace officer, child welfare investigator or child safety worker if custody is clearly necessary to protect the child because of exigent circumstances; or 3) the consent of the child's parent or guardian. An exigent circumstance means there is probable cause to believe that the child is likely to suffer serious harm in the time it would take to obtain a court order for removal and other prescribed criteria are met. The court must hold a preliminary protective hearing to review the temporary custody of a child between five to seven days after the child is taken into custody. If the child is in the temporary custody of DCS, DCS must submit to the court, by the day before the hearing, a written report that includes whether the child has any relatives or other interested parties who may be willing to take temporary custody (A.R.S. § 8-821).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Requires, when a DCS caseworker visits a child who is in the care, custody and control of DCS at the child's school:
a) the school to require the DCS caseworker to present DCS identification and a valid driver license or nonoperating identification license; and
b) the DCS caseworker to present DCS identification and a valid driver license or nonoperating identification license to the school.
2. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 10, 2025
MH/KK/ci