TO:	Honorable Lois W. Kolkhorst, Chair, Senate Committee on Health & Human Services
FROM:	Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	SB1447 by Miles (Relating to a training program for persons investigating suspected child abuse or neglect.), As Introduced

The bill would require the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to develop a training program for each person who investigates any instance of suspected child abuse or neglect at the state or local level and the investigative supervisor of the person. The bill would require the agency to administer an examination to each investigator and investigative supervisor. The bill would also prohibit an investigator or investigative supervisor from being assigned a case until each has successfully completed the training program and passed the examination.

This analysis assumes there would be costs to purchase a new curriculum, training materials, and post training assessments. The fiscal implications of the bill cannot be determined due to the unknown cost to provide a new training program to all current and new investigators and investigative supervisors.

In addition, according to DFPS, all current investigators and supervisors would have to be re-trained based on the requirements of the bill and therefore would require other staff to absorb those cases as the investigators and supervisors complete the training and examination. This would increase caseloads for other staff.

Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.