Gabriel's Law.

Existing law requires multiple state departments to share data and other information necessary to establish accurate information on the nature and extent of child abuse- or neglect-related fatalities in California as those documents relate to child fatality cases. Existing law requires the California State Child Death Review Council, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to oversee the statewide coordination and integration of state and local efforts. Existing law authorizes the Department of Justice to work collaboratively with the California State Child Death Review Council and specified agencies and organizations to carry out these provisions, and requires the completion of an annual report to include analysis and interpretation of state and local data on child deaths. This bill would remove the funding limitation and require operation of the California State Child Death Review Council, as specified. The bill would require the report completed pursuant to these provisions to be completed biannually and would permit submission of this report in an electronic format. Existing law requires the Office of Emergency Services, in coordination with the California State Child Death Review Council and other agencies, among other things, to develop standardized definitions for fatal child abuse or neglect and develop protocols for the investigation of fatal child abuse or neglect. This bill would, instead, require the California State Child Death Review Council to develop the specified definitions, protocols, and programs, in coordination with the Office of Emergency Services and other state departments.