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First Regular Session | 75th General Assembly
Colorado General Assembly

PUBLIC
BILL SUMMARY For HB25-1188

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
Date Feb 25, 2025       Location HCR 0112

HB25-1188 - Referred to House Appropriations
12:33:28 PM  
The primary bill sponsor, Representative Froelich, introduced House Bill 25-1188 to the House Health and Human Services Committee. The bill makes changes to the reporting requirements for child abuse and neglect. The bill specifies that child abuse or neglect must not be based solely on a parent’s or child’s indigence, unavailability of accessible services, unhoused status, or disability. It also modifies requirements for mandatory reporters, including requiring reports to be submitted as soon as possible and within 24 hours, except for reports involving dating violence or sexual assault to youth, which must be made within 72 hours; not requiring reports when information is received outside of a person’s professional capacity or when they are connected to an attorney representing the party involved in a child abuse or neglect case; removing victim advocates from the list of mandatory reporters; prohibiting reports based solely on a family’s race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or disability; and prohibiting delegation of reporting to someone without firsthand knowledge of the suspected child abuse or neglect. For entities that employ a mandatory reporter, the bill allows them to develop reporting protocols, as long as they comply with state law and regulations. It also prohibits them from deterring or preventing a person from filing a report.
12:43:23 PM  
The bill sponsor responded to questions from the committee.
12:50:10 PM  
Jordan Steffen, representing Child Protection Ombudsman's Office, testified in support of the bill. Stephanie Villafuerte, representing Child Protection Ombudsman's Office, testified in support of the bill. Ashley Chase, representing Office of the Child's Representative, testified in support of the bill. Jennifer Eyl, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.
01:01:35 PM  
The panel responded to questions from the committee.
01:12:54 PM  
Kathy Underhill, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Ida Drury, representing Kempe Foundation, testified in support of the bill. Jill Cohen, representing Office of Respondent Parents' Counsel, testified in support of the bill.
01:20:36 PM  
Dr. Heather Thompson, representing Elephant Circle, testified to amend the bill. Ms. Lauren Smith, representing Soul 2 Soul Sisters, testified to amend the bill. April Jenkins, representing Colorado Department of Human Services, testified to amend the bill. Elizabeth Newman, representing Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault, testified to amend the bill. Riti Chikkerur, representing Our Children Matter Most Inc., testified to amend the bill.
01:33:02 PM  
The panel responded to questions from the committee.
01:40:16 PM  
Courtney Sutton, representing Colorado Organization for Victim Assistance, testified to amend the bill. Ms. Jessica Dotter, representing Colorado District Attorneys' Council, testified to amend the bill. Carl Roberts, representing Colorado Resilience, testified to amend the bill. Mr. Kenneth Stelman, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

A handout was provided to the committee (Attachment C).
01:50:42 PM  
The panel responded to questions from the committee.
01:53:49 PM  
Dr. Donna Wilson, representing Chapin Hall, testified in support of the bill.
01:57:07 PM  
The panel responded to questions from the committee.
02:02:48 PM  
Roshan Kalantar, representing Violence Free Colorado, testified in support of the bill.

Additional written testimony was submitted to the committee (Attachment D).
02:06:08 PM  
The bill sponsor provided closing comments on the bill.
02:10:11 PM  
Members of the committee provided closing comments on the bill.

02:15:45 PM
 Motion Refer House Bill 25-1188 to the Committee on Appropriations.
Moved Lieder
Seconded Gilchrist
Bradley No
Brooks No
English Yes
Feret Yes
Garcia Sander No
Gilchrist Yes
Hamrick Yes
Johnson No
McCormick Yes
Rydin Yes
Stewart K. Yes
Lieder Yes
Brown Yes
Final YES: 9   NO: 4   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS