HB1964

House Bill 1964 seeks to reorganize state oversight of child welfare and juvenile justice by consolidating two existing ombudsman divisions into a newly created Division of Ombudsmen within the Arkansas Department of Inspector General. Specifically, it moves the Child Welfare Ombudsman Division (currently under the Arkansas Child Abuse/Rape/Domestic Violence Commission) and the Juvenile Ombudsman Division (currently under the Arkansas Public Defender Commission) to the Department of Inspector General. The bill establishes the Office of the Child Welfare Ombudsman and the Office of the Juvenile Ombudsman, both of which will report to and be supervised by the Secretary of the Department of Inspector General. The bill repeals existing sections of the Arkansas Code that governed these divisions under their previous administrative homes and codifies their new placement and reporting structure. It also declares an emergency, meaning the act would take effect immediately upon becoming law. The bill outlines the powers, duties, and independence of these offices to ensure they remain functional in their oversight roles while operating under the Inspector General.