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SB 468

Establish central registry for individuals who are the subject of a substantiated report of child abuse or neglect

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Dennis Lenz

Montana establishes statewide child abuse/neglect registry tracking individuals with substantiated reports, enabling inter-agency access but raising due process and privacy concerns.

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Bill Summary · SB 468

Legislative bill overview

SB 468 establishes a centralized registry in Montana to record individuals who have substantiated reports of child abuse or neglect filed against them. The registry serves as a statewide database that relevant agencies can access to identify individuals with confirmed abuse or neglect findings, consolidating what may have previously been fragmented records across different jurisdictions.

Why is this important

Child welfare agencies, law enforcement, and childcare licensing bodies rely on background information to make safety decisions about who can work with or have custody of children. A central registry reduces gaps in information sharing between counties and agencies, potentially preventing individuals with confirmed abuse histories from relocating to new jurisdictions where their records might not be known. However, this also creates permanent statewide records that can significantly impact individuals' future employment, housing, and reputation.

Potential points of contention

  • Due process and expungement: The bill doesn't specify whether individuals can petition to have substantiated reports removed from the registry after a certain time period, creating questions about permanent digital records for people who may have rehabilitated or had false accusations.
  • Privacy and data security: A centralized statewide database increases risks of data breaches and unauthorized access, potentially exposing sensitive family information to bad actors or causing collateral damage to family members.
  • Accuracy and finality concerns: The registry depends on accurate substantiation determinations at the local level; errors or inconsistent investigations across counties could result in individuals being permanently flagged based on flawed conclusions.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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