Criminal Justice (Courts · Children)

This bill requires that child protection specialists, peace officers, or county attorneys obtain a court warrant before removing a child from their home, except in cases of imminent risk of sexual or physical abuse where waiting for a warrant would be too dangerous. The law mandates that an abuse and neglect petition be filed within 72 hours after an emergency removal, and warrants must be executed within 10 days of issuance. Additionally, the bill establishes a voluntary registry to notify close relatives when a child is removed from their home and updates state policy to emphasize that forced removal should only occur when there is reasonable cause to suspect imminent harm.