The amended bill then went to the House chamber late on the last day of session. Rather than concur or reject changes to the original bill outright, the House decided to further amend the bill to focus on the weak link for vulnerable children in the state, the broken Child Protective Services.  An amendment, 3-14 #1, by Delegate Burkhammer (R-Lewis) which addressed holding CPS accountable, removed the language inserted by the Senate and added the following:

" (a) In addition to any other requirements for mandated reporting, a county superintendent shall report directly to the Department of Human Services’ Centralized Intake the suspected abuse or neglect of a child who is currently enrolled in a public school, by the child’s custodial parent, guardian, or caregiver, when there is imminent danger to the physical well-being of the child, and the child’s custodial parent, guardian, or caregiver is transferring or withdrawing the child from school. Such report made by the county superintendent may not be screened out by Centralized Intake, and Child Protective Services shall investigate the report within 24 hours of receiving the report.

(b) Each county school board shall adopt a policy requiring any school teacher or other school personnel who makes a report of suspected child abuse or neglect to notify the county superintendent of the child’s school district within 24 hours of that report being made to the Department of Human Services.” (emphasis added) 

This amendment, to protect vulnerable children and hold CPS and the Department of Human Services accountable for action within 24 hours of reporting, passed the House. The vote on Del. Burkhammer's amendment looked like this: 

With only minutes left before adjournment, the bill was sent to the House floor for a vote on the newly amended HB 5537, which passed by a measure of 96 yea to 1 nay at 11:57 pm : 





The clock ran out and the bill was not able to return to the Senate for approval, so the bill died.