HLS 18RS-731 ORIGINAL
2018 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 466
BY REPRESENTATIVE GISCLAIR
CHILDRENS CODE: Provides relative to authority granted to CASA volunteers
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact Children's Code Articles 424.2 , 424.4(B), 616(C), and 616(C) which
3 was amended and reenacted to become 616(D) by Act No. 348 of the 2017 Regular
4 Session of the Legislature, relative to court appointed special advocates; to provide
5 authority to access the child's home; to provide relative to the attendance of certain
6 hearings and meetings; to provide for screenings of CASA volunteers, staff
7 members, and board of director members; to provide for contingent effective dates;
8 and to provide for related matters.
9Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
10 Section 1. Children's Code Articles 424.2 and 424.4(B) are hereby amended and
11reenacted to read as follows:
12 Art. 424.2. CASA; order of assignment
13 To accomplish the assignment of a CASA volunteer, the court shall issue an
14 order of assignment which shall grant the CASA volunteer the authority to review
15 all relevant documents pursuant to Article 424.6 and to interview all parties and
16 witnesses involved in the proceeding in which he is appointed. The order shall grant
17 the CASA volunteer the authority to access the home in which a child is placed, and
18 may do so unannounced if access is needed in order to assess safety concerns.
19 * * *
20 Art. 424.4. CASA; notice
21 * * *
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are additions. HLS 18RS-731 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 466
1 B. The CASA volunteer shall be notified by the department and shall be
2 entitled to attend all of all administrative review hearings and family team meetings
3 concerning the case to which he has been assigned.
4 Section 2. Children's Code Article 616(C) is hereby amended and reenacted to read
5as follows:
6 Art. 616. Central registry; screening court-appointed special advocates volunteers;
7 confidentiality
8 * * *
9 C. Upon the written request of the court during its evaluation of an
10 individual applying to work as a court-appointed special advocate, program staff
11 member, or board of directors member, and with the consent of the applicant, the
12 department shall search the central registry and report to the court any justified report
13 of abuse or neglect alleging that the applicant is a perpetrator.
14 * * *
15 Section 3. Children's Code Article 616(C) which was amended and reenacted to
16become Children's Code Article 616(D) by Act No. 348 of the 2017 Regular Session of the
17Legislature is hereby amended and reenacted as follows:
18 * * *
19 D. Upon the written request of the court during its evaluation of an
20 individual applying to work as a court-appointed special advocate, program
21 staff member, or board of directors member, and with the consent of the
22 applicant, the department shall search the central registry and report to the
23 court any justified report of abuse or neglect alleging that the applicant is a
24 perpetrator.
25 * * *
26 Section 4. The provisions of Section 3 of this Act shall become effective upon
27promulgation and publication by the Department of Children and Family Services of the
28final rules to implement the provisions of this Act and Act No. 348 of the 2017 Regular
29Session of the Legislature.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 18RS-731 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 466
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 466 Original 2018 Regular Session Gisclair
Abstract: Grants authority to CASA volunteers to access a child's home and to attend all
administrative review hearings and family team meetings related to the case, and
provides for the screening of CASA staff members or members of the board of
directors.
Present law (Ch.C. Art. 424.2) allows CASA to review relevant documents and to interview
parties and witnesses involved in the proceeding.
Proposed law retains present law and grants authority to CASA volunteers to access the
child's home to evaluate the home for safety concerns.
Present law (Ch.C. Art. 424.4) requires CASA volunteers to be notified of all administrative
review hearings related to the case.
Proposed law retains present law and requires that CASA volunteers be allowed to attend
all family team meetings as well as administrative review hearings related to the case.
Present law (Ch.C. Art. 616) allows a court to screen individuals applying to work as a court
appointed special advocate for any justified reports of abuse or neglect.
Proposed law retains present law and adds CASA program staff members and board of
director members to those individuals who may be screened by a court for any justifiable
reports of abuse or neglect.
(Amends Ch.C. Arts. 424.2, 424.4(B), 616(C), and (616(C) which was amended and
reenacted to become Ch.C. Art. 616(D) by Act 348 of the 2017 R.S.))
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.