43-4325.

Reports of investigations; distribution; redact confidential information; powers of office; summarized final report; release.

(1) Reports of investigations conducted by the office shall not be distributed beyond the entity that is the subject of the report without the consent of the Inspector General.

(2) Except when a report is provided to a guardian ad litem or an attorney in the juvenile court pursuant to subsection (2) of section 43-4327, the office shall redact confidential information before distributing a report of an investigation. The office may disclose confidential information to the chairperson of the Health and Human Services Committee of the Legislature or the chairperson of the Judiciary Committee of the Legislature when such disclosure is, in the judgment of the Public Counsel, desirable to keep the chairperson informed of important events, issues, and developments in the Nebraska child welfare system.

(3)(a) A summarized final report based on an investigation may be publicly released in order to bring awareness to systemic issues.

(b) Such report shall be released only:

(i) After a disclosure is made to the appropriate chairperson or chairpersons pursuant to subsection (2) of this section; and

(ii) If a determination is made by the Inspector General with the appropriate chairperson that doing so would be in the best interest of the public.

(c) If there is disagreement about whether releasing the report would be in the best interest of the public, the chairperson of the Executive Board of the Legislative Council may be asked to make the final decision.

(4) Records and documents, regardless of physical form, that are obtained or produced by the office in the course of an investigation are not public records for purposes of sections 84-712 to 84-712.09. Reports of investigations conducted by the office are not public records for purposes of sections 84-712 to 84-712.09.

(5) The office may withhold the identity of sources of information to protect from retaliation any person who files a complaint or provides information in good faith pursuant to the Office of Inspector General of Nebraska Child Welfare Act.