H.B. 50 Child Protection Ombudsman Amendments

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What the bill does

This bill makes changes related to the child protection ombudsman.

Hearings and debates

• Jan 21, 2026 House floor debate (day 2)▶ Watch
  Transcript (15 turns)

  1. Speaker (presiding)51:01

     House Bill 50, child Protection on Budsman Amendments by Representative Lisonbee. Representative Lisonbee.

  2. Rep. Karianne Lisonbee51:08

     Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So, over the past couple of years, uh, I and some other members in this body have spent many, many hours in listening to parents who have had serious concerns with their interactions with DCFS, the gs, the court process surrounding, um, parental rights and termination of parental rights. Historically, our Ombudsman's offices here in Utah have served as pressure release valves for some of the, um, the mounting concerns that happen when agencies are perhaps not addressing the needs of families in the way that families would have them addressed. So in the interest of those addressing those very valid concerns, um, I, uh, have introduced this bill. It explicitly states that parents may seek and receive help from the Child Protection Ombudsman. Uh, it makes sense because parents are the first line of protection for children and termination of parental rights proceedings affects children, parents, extended families, and taxpayers. The Ombudsman's office was created in 1998, following some cases that received a lot of public attention. Uh, additionally, this bill collects data on the number and nature of the complaints that come to the ombudsman and requires report reporting to the HHS Interim Committee on those, on that data. And it requires the posting of parental rights code to be posted on the DHHS website. And so with that, I, we hope that this addresses some of the mounting concerns that, um, many of us have spent hours listening to over the interim. And with that, Mr. Speaker, I'm open to questions.

  3. Speaker (presiding)53:08

     Thank you, representative Libe discussion to the bill Representative Hansen.

  4. Rep. Leah Hansen53:18

     Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will The sponsor yield to a question?

  5. Speaker (presiding)53:21

     Representative Libe will yield to a question.

  6. Rep. Karianne Lisonbee53:22speaker not certain

     I will, yes. R Sam Hanson. Um,

  7. Rep. Leah Hansen53:24

     Just wanting to make sure that this prov, um, that in lines 90 to 92, that, uh, the provision isn't creating reason to complain against parents, but rather saying that the parent can also receive complaints that the ombudsman may or may not investigate.

  8. Rep. Karianne Lisonbee53:40

     So the Ombudsman can already receive complaints against parents. This a, allows the ombudsman to actually hear complaints from the parents.

  9. Rep. Leah Hansen53:52

     Thank you. Thank you.

  10. Speaker (presiding)53:54

      Thank you, Representative Hansen. Further discussion to the bill Representative Dominguez?

  11. Rep. Rosalba Dominguez54:00

      Yes. Um, I would like to commend the speaker. I would like to commend the sponsor for this bill. Um, have had constituents who, who have come to me as well, um, about complaints of, of this sort of interaction. You never know what situation you could be in as a parent. Um, and unfortunately we've seen too many cases within the state, um, publicly and privately that can be affected. So they, I just wanna commend the good sponsor for this bill. Thank you.

  12. Speaker (presiding)54:35

      Thank you, representative. Further discussion to the bill. Seen none back to your represe embolism. Be for submission.

  13. Rep. Karianne Lisonbee54:41

      Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Um, I personally have have cried with a number of parents just in the last six months, who, um, have had their children removed, have tried everything, have spent over a hundred thousand dollars, uh, in attorney's fees to try to address, um, what the agency see as issues. And it is heartbreaking to sit with these parents to recognize the pain that they receive, and we hope that they can then go to the Ombudsman's office and receive some assistance in navigating the system. And with that, I urge your support. Thank you.

  14. Speaker (presiding)55:22

      Thank you. Representative Lisonbee Voting will now be open on Representative Barlow. Would you like to vote? Representative Snider.

  15. Speaker (presiding)56:14

      Seeing now, president, having voted voting is now closed. HB 50 passed this body with 74 yes votes zero, no votes will be sent to the Senate for its consideration.

• Jan 26, 2026 Senate Health and Human Services Committee▶ Watch
  Transcript (10 turns)

  1. Committee chair1:08:49

     child Protection Ombudsman Amendments. Representative Libe welcome.

  2. Rep. Karianne Lisonbee1:08:58

     Thank you for being flexible and letting me go so soon. I appreciate it. And I'll be really brief. So the Ombudsman Office, uh, was originally created in 19 88, 19 98, following some cases that received, uh, a lot of public attention. And you may remember them, the original intent of the Ombuds, the, um, the Ombudsman's office was to include parents. And so just to note, like historically, our Ombudsman's office have been, is kind of pressure release valves for, um, for issues that the public has. And so I spent hours over the last several months listening to many, many parents with serious concerns with the D-C-F-S-G-I-L-A-A-G court process regarding, um, parental rights. And so in the interest of addressing those very valid concerns, um, I and, and others in the interim proposed these changes. So the bill explicitly states that parents may seek and receive help from the Child Protection Ombudsman. The bill collects data on the number and nature of complaints and requires reporting to HHS Interim Committee and the le the Legislative Oversight panel. And it requires posting of parental rights code on the DHHS website. And so just to close or to, to finalize my thoughts, parents are the first line of protection for children, termination of parental rights, proceedings affect children, parents, extended families, and the taxpayers. So I would urge your support.

  3. Committee chair1:10:36

     Okay. Thank you. Bring committee for any questions, concerns, go to the public and for the public to speak to this bill. Anybody online? See none. Bring it back to committee for further action. Senator Plumb.

  4. Sen. Jen Plumb1:10:52

     Thank you Mr. Chair. I would like to, uh, move that we favorably recommend House Bill 50 forward to the full body of the Senate with a favorable recommendation.

  5. Committee chair1:11:01

     That's in order. Would you like to speak to that? No. Okay. Anyone from the committee wish to speak to that motion? Senator Stratton?

  6. Sen. Keven J. Stratton1:11:08

     Just support the motion. Sponsor the motion. Beat me To it. Oh,

  7. Committee chair1:11:13

     okay. Thank you. Uh, back to the bill sponsor.

  8. Rep. Karianne Lisonbee1:11:16speaker not certain

     I'll waive Thank you. And back to make the motion.

  9. Sen. Jen Plumb1:11:18speaker not certain

     I'll waive as well. Okay. So the motion for

  10. Committee chair1:11:19

      before us is to pass out favorably HB 50. All in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Any opposed? See none. Okay. The Bill passes. Thank you representative. Okay. We have anyone else? Any Harper minors? Done.

• Feb 4, 2026 Senate floor debate (day 16)▶ Watch
  Transcript (7 turns)

  1. Rep. Karianne Lisonbee11:00

     House Bill 50 uh, addresses the, uh, child Protection Ombudsman that was created in 1998. Having a lot of discussion. Uh, there's been, uh, this has kind of been a safety relief valve for parents and other stakeholders dealing with the, the child welfare system, guardian ed line and court process to just get a little bit of, uh, help and, and talking, uh, over things. There's been some question as to how much of information assistance that, um, ombudsman can do. So this bill simply states explicitly states that the parents may seek and receive help from the ombudsman. The data that's collected on the number and nature of complaints are compiled and made, uh, available to the legislative oversight panel and, uh, requires posting parental rights on the DHS website. It's a clarifying bill,

  2. President Adams (presiding)11:53

     Thank you for the presentation. Uh, there's no discussion going to you for a motion. Thank

  3. Sen. Wayne A. Harper11:58

     I move that house. Bill 50 be read for a third time.

  4. President Adams (presiding)12:01

     Thank you. And the question is, shall house bill 50 be read A third time? Roll call vote.

  5. Unknown speaker12:05speaker not certain

     Senator Vickers Baldy Aye. Lewin Brammer bus Comore Escamia Fillmore Aye. Grover Harper Aye. Kins Aye. Ipson. Aye. Johnson Johnson. Aye. K Juab MCC McKay Aye. Mikel Aye. Milner Aye. Musselman Owens pitcher Plum Rebe Sandal Stevenson Stratton Vickers Aye. Er aye. Wilson Aye. Winterton Aye.

  6. President Adams (presiding)13:01

     President Adams Aye. House bill 50, having received 24 yay votes, zero nay votes, five being absent shall be read a third time.

  7. President Adams (presiding)13:13speaker not certain

     Uh, just for the body's information, Senator Grover is excused for, uh, this afternoon House Bill 11. House Bill 11. There we go.

• Feb 5, 2026 Senate floor debate (day 17)▶ Watch
  Transcript (6 turns)

  1. Sen. Wayne A. Harper14:57

     Thank you. This bill goes through and, and clarifies that uh, parents may seek and receive help from the Child Protection Ombudsman. The, uh, information, uh, collected, um, any negative or positive can go from the Ombudsman, can go to legislative oversight panel for child welfare and requires posting parental rights on DHS Homes website. That's what the bill does.

  2. Senate President Adams (presiding)15:32

     Thank you for the presentation, Senator. Looking for, looking for comments. See none. I'm gonna go back to you for a motion. Thank

  3. Sen. Wayne A. Harper15:44

     You. I'd move that. Uh,

  4. Senate President Adams (presiding)15:45

     house Bill 50 Pass. Thank you. And the question is, shall House Bill 50 pass? Roll call vote.

  5. Unknown speaker15:51speaker not certain

     Senator Spry Lewin Brammer Bus Colmore Illa Aye. Fillmore Fillmore Aye. Grover Harper Aye. Kinins Aye. Ipson. Aye. Johnson Quan McKay. Mikel Milner Musselman Owens pitcher Plum Rebe Sandal Stevenson. Aye. Stratton Bickers Weiler Aye. Wilson Aye. Winterton Aye. Stratton Aye. President Adams Aye.

  6. Senate President Adams (presiding)16:47

     House bill 50, having received 27 yay votes, zero nay votes. Two being absent passes. This body will be signed by the President and returned to the house for the signature of the speaker house. Bill 11, House Bill 11 died.

All votes

• 74-0-1House floor · House/ passed 3rd reading · Jan 21, 2026Roll call
• 5-0-2Senate Health and Human Services Committee · Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation · Jan 26, 2026Roll call
• 24-0-5Senate floor · Senate/ passed 2nd reading · Feb 4, 2026Roll call
• 27-0-2Senate floor · Senate/ passed 3rd reading · Feb 5, 2026Roll call

Tallies are yeas–nays–absent.