A. A civil action may not be brought against the ombudsman-citizens aide or the staff of the ombudsman-citizens aide for any action or omission in performing the duties under this article except for gross negligence or intentional wrongful acts or omissions except as provided in Title 38, Chapter 3, Article 8.

Terms Used In Arizona Laws 41-1380

  • Action: includes any matter or proceeding in a court, civil or criminal. See Arizona Laws 1-215
  • Agency: means a department, office, corporation, authority, organization, commission, council or board of the executive branch of state government, a department, office, institution, authority, organization, commission, committee, council or board of state government that is independent of the executive or legislative branches of state government or an officer, employee or member of an agency acting or purporting to act in the exercise of official duties. See Arizona Laws 41-1371

B. A proceeding or decision of the ombudsman-citizens aide may be reviewed in superior court only to determine if it is contrary to this article.

C. The ombudsman-citizens aide and the staff of the ombudsman-citizens aide shall not be required to testify in court regarding matters that come to their attention in the exercise of their duties except as may be necessary to enforce this article.

D. Records and files maintained by the ombudsman-citizens aide are not public records and are exempt from Title 39, Chapter 1. The information contained in these records and files that were prepared pursuant to an investigation conducted under this article are not subject to disclosure except to the attorney general or any county attorney in connection with an investigation that has been referred to the attorney general or a county attorney pursuant to section 41-1379. For the purposes of this subsection, "records and files" means all information the department of child safety and the office of the ombudsman-citizens aide gather during the course of a department of child safety investigation conducted under this article from the time a file is opened until it is closed. Records and files do not include information that is contained in child welfare agency licensing records.