Child Fatality Review Committee Temporary Amendment Act of 2025
Summary
The bill makes a narrow, temporary change to the District of Columbia’s Child Fatality Review Committee Establishment Act of 2001. It revises the committee’s membership language so that the Council committee with oversight of the Child and Family Services Agency is included, replacing the prior reference to the “human services” committee with “child and family services.” The measure is titled the Child Fatality Review Committee Temporary Amendment Act of 2025 and is designed to operate for a limited period rather than permanently amend the underlying law.
In practical terms, the bill updates who is represented on the Child Fatality Review Committee, aligning the statute with the Council’s current committee structure and oversight responsibilities. It does not create a new program or change the committee’s core duties; instead, it adjusts the statutory composition of the review body to reflect the committee that now has jurisdiction over the Child and Family Services Agency. The act also adopts the Budget Director’s fiscal impact statement and expires 225 days after taking effect.
Impact
This temporary amendment changes D.C. Official Code § 4-1371.04(a-1) by substituting “child and family services” for “human services,” thereby updating the statutory description of the Council committee that participates in child fatality review oversight. The bill affects the governance and membership structure of the Child Fatality Review Committee and, indirectly, the Council committee responsible for oversight of the Child and Family Services Agency. Because the change is temporary and expires after 225 days, it functions as a short-term statutory alignment rather than a permanent revision to the District’s child welfare oversight framework.
Sentiment
The available voting history shows unanimous support: the bill passed first reading 12-0 and final reading 12-0. With no committee transcripts provided, there is no recorded debate or opposition in the materials supplied. The overall sentiment appears strongly favorable and procedural, suggesting the Council viewed the measure as a straightforward technical update to keep the committee’s composition consistent with current oversight arrangements.
Contention
No substantive contention is evident in the provided record. The bill appears to be a technical and administrative correction rather than a policy dispute, and the unanimous votes indicate broad agreement. If any issue existed, it would likely have centered on ensuring the correct Council committee is named in the statute and that the child fatality review process reflects current organizational responsibilities, but no objections are documented in the available materials.