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2024 SESSION

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24104814D
HOUSE BILL NO. 1168 Offered January 10, 2024 Prefiled January 10, 2024 A BILL to amend and reenact § 2.2-442 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Office of the Children's Ombudsman; powers. ---------- Patron-- Cordoza ---------- Referred to Committee on General Laws ----------

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 2.2-442 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 2.2-442. Children's Ombudsman; powers and duties.

In addition to any powers described in this chapter, the Children's Ombudsman has the authority to do all of the following with regard to children receiving child-protective services, in foster care, or placed for adoption and children who may have died as a result of alleged abuse or neglect:

1. Pursue all necessary action, including legal action, to protect the rights and welfare of such children;

2. Pursue legislative advocacy in the best interest of such children;

3. Review policies and procedures relating to any child-serving agency's involvement with such children upon the Ombudsman's own initiative or upon receipt of a complaint and make recommendations for improvement;

4. Initiate investigations of administrative acts of the Department, a local department, or a child-placing agency in cases relating to such children upon the Ombudsman's own initiative or upon receipt of a complaint; and

5. Directly oversee local departments, reverse the decisions of local departments, and petition a court to reverse any custody or visitation changes made as a result of the error of a local department; and

6. Subject to an appropriation of funds, commence and conduct investigations into alleged violations of the rights of a foster parent.