Bill
HB 2207
Expands access to child welfare records for a child's parent and childhood abuse survivors, with a 3-day release deadline; increases DCF and court workload and data security needs.
Status and procedural notes
- Introduced: January 29, 2025. Referred to the House Committee on Child Welfare and Foster Care.
- Hearing scheduled for Monday, February 10, 2025 (1:30 PM, Room 152‑S) — CANCELED.
- Bill would amend K.S.A. 2024 Supp. 38‑2211, 38‑2212 and 38‑2213 (Revised Kansas Code for Care of Children) and repeal existing sections.
Purpose and intent
- To expand access to child welfare and investigative records by:
- Permitting a parent of a child who is the subject of an investigation of abuse or neglect or a child‑in‑need‑of‑care proceeding to access the records; and
- Authorizing victims of childhood abuse or neglect to access records related to substantiated reports or investigations of abuse or neglect.
- The bill aims to provide parents and former victims more direct access to records while maintaining statutory confidentiality guardrails.
Key provisions and changes
- Amends the lists of persons entitled to access the official file and the social file in child in need of care proceedings to explicitly include:
- A parent of the child who is the subject of the investigation or proceeding (or the parent’s legal representative).
- Victims of childhood abuse/neglect (authorization to access records related to substantiated reports or investigations).
- Retains and references principle that disclosure is limited to those with a legitimate need tied to the purposes of the Code and preserves protection of reporter identity where required.
- Introduces operational/timing requirement that records must be provided promptly — fiscal materials indicate a three‑day deadline for providing requested records (applies to DCF and is imposed on courts for child in need of care records).
Who would be affected
- Parents whose children are subjects of abuse/neglect investigations or child‑in‑need‑of‑care proceedings.
- Adults who are victims of childhood abuse/neglect seeking access to records of substantiated reports/investigations.
- Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) — operationally responsible for preparing/redacting records.
- Judicial branch — courts would be required to provide access to court records within a short timeframe.
- Law enforcement, attorneys, guardians ad litem, CASA, placement providers and other stakeholders who currently handle or rely on these records.
Fiscal and administrative impact
- Division of the Budget fiscal note (Feb 10, 2025) reports:
- DCF estimates an added administrative burden requiring 1.00 FTE legal assistant to review, redact, and produce files statewide to meet the three‑day deadline. Estimated total cost: $76,920 in FY2026 (includes salary, fringe, operating); $53,729 of that is State General Fund. Costs anticipated to continue in out‑years at similar levels.
- Kansas Department of Corrections and the Office of the Child Advocate report no fiscal effect.
- Judicial Branch indicates potential fiscal effect because courts must provide access within three days, but an accurate estimate cannot yet be provided.
- No expected revenue impact to the State General Fund.
Practical considerations and potential impacts
- Improves access and transparency for parents and survivors, but likely increases DCF and court workload (document review, redaction, secure release).
- Three‑day production requirement may drive need for staffing, process changes, and coordination with law enforcement to avoid inadvertent disclosure of protected information.
- Courts and agencies will need to balance timely access with privacy protections (e.g., reporter anonymity, redaction of third‑party sensitive information).
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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