INDIANAPOLIS— The Senate Judiciary Committee recently passed two bills to address child abuse and neglect in Indiana. State Senator John Broden (D-South Bend) was a member of the Interim Study Committee on the Department of Child Services (DCS) and is a co-author of a number of measures to address issues brought forth by the committee.

Senate Bill (SB) 105 gives local professionals the ability to report possible cases of child abuse directly to a local DCS office. Currently, police officers, medical doctors and district court judges who report a case of child abuse to their local DCS authorities are turned away and directed to the statewide, Indianapolis-based hotline used by the general public. This legislation would restore local authorities’ abilities to respond quickly and efficiently in potential life-threatening situations.

SB 572 establishes a Child Fatality committee for each county to review cases of child death. The bill would separate the responsibilities for identifying causes of child deaths from the general local fatality review teams to specifically cut down on child deaths. Indiana would be the thirty-ninth state to implement a program aimed at child death prevention.

Senator Broden and other committee members heard extensive public testimony over the summer to aid their inquiry, including a number of local forums held statewide.

Senate Bills 105 and 572 passed unanimously out of the Senate Judiciary Committee by a vote of 10-0. The bills gained full Senate approval, 48-0, before moving to the House of Representatives for further consideration.

Sen. Broden represents Senate District 10, which includes the cities of South Bend and Mishawaka, and portions of Portage, Penn, Centre and Clay townships in St. Joseph County. For more information on Sen. Broden, visit www.IN.gov/s10.

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