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WEST virginia legislature
2023 regular session
ENROLLED
Committee Substitute
for
House Bill 2016
By Delegates Summers, Tully, Rohrbach and Espinosa
[Passed March 10, 2023; in effect ninety days from passage.]
AN ACT to amend and reenact §16-5-28 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended; to amend and reenact §49-4-608 of said code; and to amend and reenact §49-5-101 of said code, all relating to releasing information to facilitate care of a child; providing for qualified disclosure of confidential information between certain entities; requiring court notices be sent to child placement agencies in adoption cases; requiring State Registrar to issue copy of vital record to child placement agency; requiring the disclosed records to be maintained in compliance with code; and requiring the department to provide electronic access to certain information.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
CHAPTER 16. PUBLIC HEALTH.
ARTICLE 5. VITAL STATISTICS.
§16-5-28. Copies from the system of vital statistics.
In accordance with §16-5-27 of this code and the legislative rules promulgated thereunder:
(a) The State Registrar and other custodians of vital records authorized to issue certified copies shall upon receipt of an application, issue a certified copy of a vital record in his or her custody to the registrant, his or her parents, spouse, adult children, grandchildren or great-grandchildren, legal guardian, or their respective authorized representative. Additionally, the State Registrar and other custodians of vital records, upon receipt of an application, shall issue a certified copy of a vital record in his or her custody to a child placing agency completing adoption on behalf of the department. Others may be authorized to obtain certified copies when they demonstrate that the record is needed for the determination or protection of his or her personal or property right. The department may promulgate rules to further define others who may obtain copies of vital records filed under this article.
(b) All forms and procedures used in the issuance of certified copies of vital records in the state shall be approved by the State Registrar. All certified copies of certificates of birth issued shall have security features that deter the document from being altered, counterfeited, duplicated, or simulated without ready detection in compliance with regulations issued by the federal government.
(c) Each copy or abstract issued shall show the date of registration, and copies or abstracts issued from records marked “Amended” shall be similarly marked and, when possible, show the effective date of the amendment. Copies issued from records marked “Delayed” shall be similarly marked and shall include the date of registration and a description of the evidence used to establish the delayed certificate. Any copy issued of a “Certificate of Foreign Birth” shall indicate the foreign birth and show the actual place of birth and the statement that the certificate is not proof of United States citizenship for the person for whom it is issued.
(d) A certified copy of a vital record issued in accordance with this section shall be considered for all purposes the same as the original, and shall be prima facie evidence of the facts stated in the record: Provided, That the evidentiary value of a certificate or record filed more than one year after the event, or a record which has been amended, or a certificate of foreign birth, shall be determined by the judicial or administrative body or official before whom the certificate is offered as evidence.
(e) Nothing in this section shall be construed to permit disclosure of information contained in the “Information for Medical and Health Use Only” section of the certificate of birth or the “Information for Statistical Purposes Only” section of the certificate of marriage or certificate of divorce or annulment unless specifically authorized by the State Registrar for statistical or research purposes. This information is not subject to subpoena or court order and is not admissible before any court, tribunal, or judicial body. Information collected for administrative use may not be included on certified copies of records, and may be disclosed only for administrative, statistical, or research purposes authorized by state or federal law and legislative rule.
(f) When the State Registrar receives information that a certificate may have been registered through fraud or misrepresentation, he or she may withhold issuance of any copy of that certificate.
(1) The State Registrar shall inform the registrant or the registrant's authorized representative of the right to request a hearing by the commissioner.
(2) The secretary of the department may authorize the State Registrar or another person to hold an investigation or hearing to determine if fraud or misrepresentation has occurred.
(3) If upon conclusion of a hearing or investigation no fraud or misrepresentation is found, copies may be issued.
(4) If fraud or misrepresentation is found by a preponderance of the evidence, the State Registrar shall remove the certificate from the file. The certificate and evidence will be retained but will not be subject to inspection or copying except upon order of a court of competent jurisdiction or by the State Registrar for purposes of prosecution or administration of the system of vital statistics.
(g) No person may prepare or issue any certificate which purports to be an original, certified copy, or copy of a vital record, except as authorized by this article, or by legislative rule.
CHAPTER 49. CHILD WELFARE.
(a) Permanency hearing when reasonable efforts are not required. — If the court finds pursuant to this article that the department is not required to make reasonable efforts to preserve the family, then notwithstanding any other provision a permanency hearing must be held within 30 days following the entry of the court order so finding, and a permanent placement review hearing must be conducted at least once every 90 days thereafter until a permanent placement is achieved.
(b) Permanency hearing every 12 months until permanency is achieved. — If 12 months after receipt by the department or its authorized agent of physical care, custody, and control of a child either by a court-ordered placement or by a voluntary agreement the department has not placed a child in an adoptive home, placed the child with a natural parent, placed the child in legal guardianship, or permanently placed the child with a fit and willing relative, the court shall hold a permanency hearing. The department shall file a progress report with the court detailing the efforts that have been made to place the child in a permanent home and copies of the child's case plan, which shall include the permanency plan as defined in §49-1-201 and §49-4-604 of this code. Copies of the report shall be sent to the parties and all persons entitled to notice and the right to be heard. The court shall schedule a hearing giving notice and the right to be present to the child's attorney; the child; the child's parents; the child's guardians; the child's foster parents; any preadoptive parent, or any relative providing care for the child; any person entitled to notice and the right to be heard; and other persons as the court may, in its discretion, direct. The child's presence may be waived by the child's attorney at the request of the child or if the child is younger than 12 years-of-age and would suffer emotional harm. The purpose of the hearing is to review the child's case, to determine whether and under what conditions the child's commitment to the department shall continue, to determine what efforts are necessary to provide the child with a permanent home, and to determine if the department has made reasonable efforts to finalize the permanency plan. The court shall conduct another permanency hearing within 12 months thereafter for each child who remains in the care, custody, and control of the department until the child is placed in an adoptive home, returned to his or her parents, placed in legal guardianship, or permanently placed with a fit and willing relative.
(c) Transitional planning for older children. — In the case of a child who has attained 16 years of age, the court shall determine the services needed to assist the child to make the transition from foster care to independent living. The child's case plan should specify services aimed at transitioning the child into adulthood. When a child turns 17, or as soon as a child aged 17 comes into a case, the department must immediately provide the child with assistance and support in developing a transition plan that is personalized at the direction of the child. The plan must include specific options on housing, health insurance, education, local opportunities for mentors, continuing support services, work force support, and employment services, and the plan should be as detailed as the child may elect. In addition to these requirements, when a child with special needs turns 17, or as soon as a child aged 17 with special needs comes into a case, he or she is entitled to the appointment of a department adult services worker to the multidisciplinary treatment team, and coordination between the multidisciplinary treatment team and other transition planning teams, such as special education individualized education planning (IEP) teams.
(d) Out-of-state placements. — A court may not order a child to be placed in an out-of-state facility unless the child is diagnosed with a health issue that no in-state facility or program serves unless a placement out of state is in closer proximity to the child's family for the necessary care or the services are able to be provided more timely. If the child is to be placed with a relative or other responsible person out of state, the court shall use judicial leadership to help expedite the process under the Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children provided in §49-7-101 and §49-7-102 of this code and the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act provided in §48-20-101 et seq. of this code.
(e) Findings in order. — At the conclusion of the hearing the court shall, in accordance with the best interests of the child, enter an order containing all the appropriate findings. The court order shall state:
(1) Whether or not the department made reasonable efforts to preserve the family and to prevent out-of-home placement or that the specific situation made the effort unreasonable;
(2) Whether or not the department made reasonable efforts to finalize the permanency plan and concurrent plan for the child;
(3) The appropriateness of the child's current placement, including its distance from the child's home and whether or not it is the least restrictive one (or most family-like one) available;
(4) The appropriateness of the current educational setting and the proximity to the school in which the child is enrolled at the time of placement;
(5) Services required to meet the child's needs and achieve permanency; and
(6) In addition, in the case of any child for whom another planned permanent living arrangement is the permanency plan the court shall: (A) Inquire of the child about the desired permanency outcome for the child; (B) make a judicial determination explaining why, as of the date of the hearing, another planned permanent living arrangement is the best permanency plan for the child; and (C) provide in the court order compelling reasons why it continues to not be in the best interest of the child to: (i) return home, (ii) be placed for adoption, (iii) be placed with a legal guardian, or (iv) be placed with a fit and willing relative.
(f) The department shall annually report to the court the current status of the placements of children in the care, custody, and control of the state department who have not been adopted.
(g) The department shall file a report with the court in any case where any child in the custody of the state receives more than three placements in one year no later than 30 days after the third placement. This report shall be provided to all parties and persons entitled to notice and the right to be heard. Upon motion by any party, the court shall review these placements and determine what efforts are necessary to provide the child with a permanent home. No report may be provided to any parent or parent's attorney whose parental rights have been terminated pursuant to this article.
(h) The department shall give actual notice, in writing, to the court, the child, the child's attorney, the parents, and the parents' attorney at least 48 hours prior to the move if this is a planned move, or within 48 hours of the next business day after the move if the child is in imminent danger in the child's current placement, except where the notification would endanger the child or the foster family. A multidisciplinary treatment team shall convene as soon as practicable after notice to explore placement options. This requirement is not waived by placement of the child in a home or other residence maintained by a private provider. No notice may be provided pursuant to this provision to any parent or parent's attorney whose parental rights have been terminated pursuant to this article.
(i) Nothing in this article precludes any party from petitioning the court for review of the child's case at any time. The court shall grant the petition upon a showing that there is a change in circumstance or needs of the child that warrants court review.
(j) Any foster parent, preadoptive parent or relative providing care for the child shall be given notice of and the right to be heard at the permanency hearing provided in this section.
(k) Once an adoption case is assigned to a child placing agency, all related court hearing notices shall be sent to the child placing agency as an interested party.
ARTICLE 5. RECORD KEEPING AND DATABASE.
§49-5-101. Confidentiality of records; non-release of records; exceptions; penalties.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter or by order of the court, all records and information concerning a child or juvenile which are maintained by the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Department of Health and Human Resources, a child agency or facility, or court or law-enforcement agency, are confidential and may not be released or disclosed to anyone, including any federal or state agency.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section or any other provision of this code to the contrary, records concerning a child or juvenile, except adoption records and records disclosing the identity of a person making a complaint of child abuse or neglect, may be made available:
(1) Where otherwise authorized by this chapter;
(2) To:
(A) The child;
(B) A parent whose parental rights have not been terminated;
(C) The attorney of the child or parent; and
(D) The Juvenile Justice Commission and its' designees acting in the course of their official duties;
(3) With the written consent of the child or of someone authorized to act on the child's behalf; and
(4) Pursuant to an order of a court of record: Provided, That the court shall review the record or records for relevancy and materiality to the issues in the proceeding and safety and may issue an order to limit the examination and use of the records or any part thereof.
(c) In addition to those persons or entities to whom information may be disclosed under subsection (b) of this section, information related to child abuse or neglect proceedings, except information relating to the identity of the person reporting or making a complaint of child abuse or neglect, shall be made available upon request to:
(1) Federal, state, or local government entities, or any agent of those entities, including law-enforcement agencies and prosecuting attorneys, having a need for that information in order to carry out its responsibilities under law to protect children from abuse and neglect;
(2) The child fatality review team;
(3) Child abuse citizen review panels;
(4) Multidisciplinary investigative and treatment teams; or
(5) A grand jury, circuit court, or family court, upon a finding that information in the records is necessary for the determination of an issue before the grand jury, circuit court, or family court; and
(6) The West Virginia Crime Victims Compensation Fund and its designees acting in the course of their official duties.
(d) If there is a child fatality or near fatality due to child abuse and neglect, information relating to a fatality or near fatality shall be made public by the Department of Health and Human Resources and provided to the entities described in subsection (c) of this section, all under the circumstances described in that subsection: Provided, That information released by the Department of Health and Human Resources pursuant to this subsection may not include the identity of a person reporting or making a complaint of child abuse or neglect. For purposes of this subsection, “near fatality” means any medical condition of the child which is certified by the attending physician to be life threatening.
(e) Except in juvenile proceedings which are transferred to criminal proceedings, law-enforcement records and files concerning a child or juvenile shall be kept separate from the records and files of adults and not included within the court files. Law-enforcement records and files concerning a child or juvenile shall only be open to inspection pursuant to §49-5-103 of this code.
(f) Any person who willfully violates the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than $1,000, or confined in jail for not more than six months, or both fined and confined. A person convicted of violating this section is also liable for damages in the amount of $300, or actual damages, whichever is greater.
(g) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, or any other provision of this code to the contrary, the name and identity of any juvenile adjudicated or convicted of a violent or felonious crime shall be made available to the public;
(h)(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section or any other provision of this code to the contrary, the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation may provide access to, and the confidential use of, a treatment plan, court records, or other records of a juvenile to an agency in another state which:
(A) Performs the same functions in that state that are performed by the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation in this state;
(B) Has a reciprocal agreement with this state; and
(C) Has legal custody of the juvenile.
(2) A record which is shared under this subsection may only provide information which is relevant to the supervision, care, custody, and treatment of the juvenile;
(3) The Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation may enter into reciprocal agreements with other states and propose rules for legislative approval in accordance with §29A-3-1 et seq. of this code to implement this subsection; and
(4) Other than the authorization explicitly given in this subsection, this subsection may not be construed to enlarge or restrict access to juvenile records as provided elsewhere in this code.
(i) The records subject to disclosure pursuant to subsection (b) of this section may not include a recorded/videotaped interview, as defined in §62-6B-2(6) of this code, the disclosure of which is exclusively subject to §62-6B-6 of this code.
(j) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, records in the possession of the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation declared to be confidential by the provisions of subsection (a) of this section may be published and disclosed for use in an employee grievance if the disclosure is done in compliance with subsections (k), (l), and (m) of this section.
(k) Records or information declared confidential by the provisions of this section may not be released for use in a grievance proceeding except:
(1) Upon written motion of a party; and
(2) Upon an order of the Public Employee's Grievance Board entered after an in-camera hearing as to the relevance of the record or information.
(l) If production of confidential records or information is disclosed to a grievant, his or her counsel or representative, pursuant to subsection (k) of this section:
(1) The division shall ensure that written records or information is redacted of all identifying information of any juvenile which is not relevant to the resolution of the grievance;
(2) Relevant video and audio records may be disclosed without redaction; and
(3) Records or other information released to a grievant or his or her counsel or representative pursuant to subsection (k) of this section may only be used for purposes of his or her grievance proceeding and may not be disclosed, published, copied, or distributed for any other purpose, and upon the conclusion of the grievance procedure, returned to the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
(m) If a grievant or the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation seek judicial review of a decision of the Public Employee's Grievance Board, the relevant confidential records disclosed and used in the grievance proceeding may be used in the appeal proceeding upon entry of an order by the circuit court, and the order shall contain a provision limiting disclosure or publication of the records or information to purposes necessary to the proceeding and prohibiting unauthorized use and reproduction.
(n) Nothing in this section may be construed to abrogate the provisions of §29B-1-1 et seq. of this code.
(o) A child placing agency or a residential child care and treatment facility may disclose otherwise confidential information to other child placing agencies or residential child care and treatment facilities when making referrals or providing services on behalf of the child. This information shall be maintained in the same manner as provided in this code.
(p) The department shall provide electronic access to information required to perform an adoption to child placing agencies as necessary to complete the adoption.
(q) A child placing agency completing adoption as a contractor on behalf of the department shall have access to secure records from vital statistics and other pertinent record holders.
The Clerk of the House of Delegates and the Clerk of the Senate hereby certify that the foregoing bill is correctly enrolled.
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Clerk of the House of Delegates
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Clerk of the Senate
Originated in the House of Delegates.
In effect ninety days from passage.
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Speaker of the House of Delegates
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President of the Senate
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The within is ................................................ this the...........................................
Day of ..........................................................................................................., 2023.
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Governor
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