H. B. 2368

                        (By Delegates Faircloth, D. Evans, Kessinger, Border, Blair,

                    Ellington, Sobonya, Kurcaba, Waxman, Rohrbach and Summers)

                        [Introduced January 26, 2015; referred to the

                        Committee on Health and Human Resources.]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §49-7-37, relating to child welfare; and requiring the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to make annual reports to the Health and Human Resources Committees of the Senate and House of Delegates concerning child fatalities from the records of the Bureau for Children and Families Child Protective Services.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

            That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated §49-7-37, to read as follows:

ARTICLE 7. GENERAL PROVISIONS.

§49-7-37. Annual report to Legislature from records of the Bureau for Children and Families Child Protective Services.

            The Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services shall make an annual child fatality and near fatality report to the Health and Human Resources Committees of the Senate and House of Delegates based upon proceedings, records, reports, case histories and other documents of the Bureau for Children and Families Child Protective Services.

            NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to make annual reports to the Health and Human Resources Committees of the Senate and House of Delegates concerning child fatalities or near fatalities as documented by the Bureau for Children and Families Child Protective Services.

            §49-7-37 is new; therefore, it has been completely underscored.