Update: The House concurred with Senate amendments to HB 24-1244 and repassed the bill on Friday, Apr. 19, sending it to Gov. Jared Polis.

State lawmakers Wednesday made significant adjustments to a bill that closes autopsy reports on minors, adding a deceased child’s name to the summary of information that must be released to the public following a death.

Disclosing the name is “absolutely vital,” 9NEWS investigative reporter Kevin Vaughan told members of the Senate Judiciary Committee during a hearing earlier in the week.

“Without it, this measure would sanction failing, neglecting and abusing children to death in secrecy to protect the privacy of the people and systems who let those children down,” said Vaughan, a board member of the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition. “And it would make it much more difficult, and in many cases impossible, to shine a light on systemic failures that demand our attention and action.”