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HB 1964

Future in Focus Program; established.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Elizabeth Bennett-Parker and 5 co-sponsors

consolidates juvenile and child welfare ombudsman functions under the Department of Inspector General, creating the Office of the Juvenile Ombudsman and Office of the Child Welfare

Passed by indefinitely in Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N)
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Bill Summary · HB 1964

Summary — HB 1964 (2025)

Status: Died in Committee (per provided metadata). Introduced: January 22, 2025. Sponsor(s): Rep. Brooks; Sen. A. Clark. Subject area (per text): juvenile & child-welfare oversight / ombudsman functions. Note: the bill text supplied appears to be an Arkansas proposal to reorganize ombudsman functions; other metadata lines in the record appear inconsistent (a different title regarding suffrage and an unrelated Illinois appropriation bill share the same bill number). This summary focuses on the substantive Arkansas bill text provided.

Main purpose

To transfer the Child Welfare Ombudsman Division and the Juvenile Ombudsman Division from their current agencies into a single Division of Ombudsmen within the Department of Inspector General (DIG); to create the Office of the Child Welfare Ombudsman and the Office of the Juvenile Ombudsman; to define their powers, duties, qualifications; to repeal prior statutory provisions establishing those divisions elsewhere; and to declare an emergency.

Key provisions

  • Repeals Arkansas Code § 16-87-216 (Juvenile Ombudsman Division) and § 20-82-211 (Child Welfare Ombudsman Division), removing those divisions from their existing statutory homes.
  • Transfers:
    • Juvenile Ombudsman Division (previously within the Arkansas Public Defender Commission) and
    • Child Welfare Ombudsman Division (previously within the Arkansas Child Abuse/Rape/Domestic Violence Commission) into the Department of Inspector General and consolidates them as the Division of Ombudsmen.
  • Establishes the Office of the Juvenile Ombudsman and the Office of the Child Welfare Ombudsman within the DIG.
  • Sets minimum qualifications for ombudsmen (e.g., advanced or bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, law, or related field; specified experience; a four‑year experience requirement is referenced; no waivers allowed).
  • Enumerates powers/duties:
    • Access to Division of Youth Services (DYS) tracking systems and juvenile records, attendance at relevant meetings, ability to initiate/maintain contact with juveniles in custody or aftercare.
    • Authority to make unannounced visits to unlicensed or unaccredited DYS facilities (state-run or private).
    • Obligation to report alleged child maltreatment immediately to the Child Abuse Hotline and DYS leadership and to take steps to ensure juvenile safety.
    • Requirement to prepare and submit annual reports on DYS functioning and on alignment between court recommendations, treatment plans, and services provided — reports are directed to multiple recipients (legislative committees, juvenile court judges, Governor, DHS leadership, etc.).
  • Clarifies limits: ombudsmen do not have authority to issue operational commands to DYS staff or override treatment plans consistent with existing policies.
  • Emergency clause included (contemplates immediate effect upon enactment).

Who would be affected

  • Department of Inspector General (new supervisory home for ombudsmen).
  • Arkansas Public Defender Commission and Arkansas Child Abuse/Rape/Domestic Violence Commission (losing specified ombudsman functions).
  • Division of Youth Services (new independent oversight and monitoring access).
  • Juveniles in state custody or on aftercare, their families/guardians, juvenile courts, DHS, facility operators (state and private).
  • Legislative oversight committees and executive officials receiving reports.

Procedural / timeline notes

  • Introduced January 22, 2025.
  • The metadata provided lists multiple committee actions and dates (hearings, reports, calendar placements). However, the top-level status supplied is “Died In Committee” (noted 2025‑04‑03). Some records in the supplied document conflict (entries suggesting passage/enrollment and an “Act 825” notation); those appear to be inconsistent or to reference other measures sharing the HB 1964 identifier in different jurisdictions. Based on the supplied summary header, this version did not advance out of committee.

Caveat about record inconsistencies

The provided packet mixes different items (an Arkansas reorganization bill text, an unrelated Illinois appropriation entry, and a header title about suffrage restoration). Where possible this summary focuses on the Arkansas ombudsman reorganization language that forms the bulk of the legislative text supplied. If you need a definitive procedural history or the officially enrolled text, consult the Arkansas legislative records for the 95th General Assembly (2025) or request the bill file/agency fiscal notes from the legislative clerk.

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

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