Relating to recordings of interviews during child abuse assessments and family assessments

The federal Generate Recordings of All Child protective Interviews Everywhere (GRACIE) Act established grants for states that meet certain requirements. This bill implements the requirements of the GRACIE Act by redefining “interview” for purposes of child abuse assessments and family assessments (assessments), and requiring each interview performed by the department of health and human services (HHS) during an assessment to be recorded by audio recording, body camera video, or other reasonable means of recording the interview. Recordings must be retained for a minimum of five years from the date the recording was made and released only to persons specified in the bill. A person who releases a recording to a person not authorized by the bill shall be subject to a penalty established by HHS. HHS’s failure to comply with the bill’s provisions does not provide an individual a cause of action against the state, a subdivision, or an agent of the state or a subdivision of the state; and does not constitute grounds to preclude statements, observations, or other evidence obtained during an interview from being admitted in a legal proceeding. The bill directs HHS to adopt rules to implement the bill.