HB30 Alabama 2019 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Rex ReynoldsRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2019

Title

Children, to expand and clarify requirements for membership of child advocacy centers in the Alabama Network of Children's Advocacy Centers, Sec. 26-16-70 am'd.

Summary

HB 30 would expand and clarify the requirements for full membership in the Alabama Network of Children's Advocacy Centers, updating terms and standards for applying centers.

What This Bill Does

The bill updates definitions used by the network and sets stricter eligibility rules for centers seeking full membership. Eligible centers must be private nonprofits with a neutral, child-focused facility where joint forensic interviews by DHR and law enforcement occur, plus supervised staff and a local board. It requires a multidisciplinary case review team, systematic case tracking and data collection, and referrals for medical exams and mental health therapy with follow-up, along with training for staff. It also mandates an interagency commitment agreement signed by key partners and requires background checks and screening for staff and volunteers.

Who It Affects

• Child advocacy centers that want full membership in the Alabama Network would need to meet expanded criteria and updated definitions.
• Local district attorneys, the Department of Human Resources, local law enforcement, mental health professionals, medical personnel, and victim advocates who participate in multidisciplinary teams, interagency agreements, and data reporting.

Key Provisions

• Define terms: forensic interview (same meaning as Section 12-15-301), local law enforcement agencies (police department and sheriff's department), and mental health professional (licensed psychiatrist or psychologist).
• Eligibility for full membership requires centers to be private nonprofit corporations operating under Alabama nonprofit law and to use a neutral, child-focused facility where joint DHR and law enforcement forensic interviews take place.
• Centers must have a minimum number of designated staff supervised by and operating under the local CAC board.
• Centers must maintain a multidisciplinary case review team that meets regularly and includes representatives from the district attorney, DHR, mental health, law enforcement, and CAC staff; medical personnel and a victim's advocate may be part of the team.
• Centers must provide case tracking and collect demographic data (sex, race, age, etc.), plus data on prosecutions and referrals for mental health therapy.
• Centers must provide referrals for on-site or off-site medical exams and mental health therapy, with follow-up on cases referred for therapy.
• Centers must provide training for multidisciplinary team members and other personnel who respond to possible child abuse cases.
• Centers must participate in an interagency commitment agreement signed by the district attorney (or designee), a DHR designee, a local law enforcement designee, and the CAC director.
• Staff and volunteers at the centers must be trained and screened by appropriate resources as specified by the Alabama Network of Children's Advocacy Centers.
• Effective date: the act becomes effective on the first day of the third month after passage, contingent upon the passage of HB____ relating to statements made by children during forensic interviews.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Children