Chief Author: Abeler (R) / Allen (D)
View Bill Text: SF 1905 / HF 2223

Current Status

3/8/17 Introduced and referred to House Health and Human Services Reform Committee.
3/8/17 Introduced and referred to Senate Human Services Reform Finance and Policy Committee.

Short Description

Creates the Office of the Ombudsperson for American Indian Families.

Key Points

  • Establishes the Office of the Ombudsperson for American Indian Families as an independent office in collaboration with the Indian Affairs Council.
  • Some duties would include: ensuring that court officials, service providers and public policymakers are trained in cultural competency; qualified expert witnesses are consulted in placement decisions involving American Indian children; and seeing that guardians ad litem are recruited from the American Indian communities and assigned cases involving American Indian children.
  • Ombudsperson would review complaints received and make recommendations to the appropriate agency for resolution.
  • Establishes American Indian Community Specific Board, to be consisted of five members of the American Indian community. The board appoints the Ombudsperson and oversees the work of the office, including policy and procedure development, and making recommendations for policy change.
  • This bill is cost-neutral, as funds designated to the Ombudsperson for Families office that would be allocated for American Indian families would be transferred to this new independent office.