HB 1734

ON MARCH 23, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 2402, AS AMENDED. AMENDMENT #1 makes the following revisions:  Requires the department of children's services to create a pilot program by which the department records all interviews of children conducted by department case managers as part of the department's investigation of claims of abuse or neglect.  Requires the department to select one county in which to operate the pilot program.  Removes that the recordings may be audio or video recordings, and authorizes, instead, only audio recordings.  Exempts an interview from the recording requirement if the department case manager in good faith believe d the interview was being recorded and a technical issue with the equipment prevented the recording .  Requires, by December 1, 2027, the department to submit a report to the senate judiciary committee and the committee of the house of representatives with jurisdiction over subject matters pertaining to children on the results of the pilot program .