SB347

Senate Bill 347 seeks to update Arkansas's Juvenile Code of 1989 and the Child Maltreatment Act to modify definitions and investigation procedures. The bill introduces new legal definitions for 'grooming' of minors, clarifies criteria for neglect, and adds requirements for reporting child maltreatment. It modifies the process by which the Child Abuse Hotline accepts reports, including the mandatory acceptance of reports from medical providers regarding children age 11 or younger who are pregnant or have sexually transmitted diseases. The legislation also refines administrative procedures for conducting investigations, managing protection plans—now referred to as 'immediate safety plans'—and handling the release of investigative information. Additionally, the bill mandates that schools be notified if an enrolled student aged 18 or older is the subject of a child maltreatment report. The stated purpose of these changes is to enhance child safety while limiting unnecessary government intervention in the lives of Arkansas families.