CPS Special
Session
Governor Brewer has called
a Special Session for two landmark bills reforming Arizona’s child safety
system. The Special Session begins today, May 27th, and is anticipated to last
three days.
First, a policy bill
establishes the new Department of Child Safety and includes a complete overhaul
of agency operations. Second, an appropriations bill provides $56 Million in
new funding.
Nearly one year ago I began
work on legislation establishing CPS as a stand-alone agency. As Co-Chair of
the CPS Oversight Committee, I was to introduce that legislation as a
“discussion bill” in the 2014 session. With the horrible discovery of the 6,554
cases marked “Not Investigated” and forgotten, my discussion bill became
reality.
Last November, Governor
Brewer formed the CARE (Independent Child Advocate Response Evaluation) Team, on
which I served. The CARE Team put eyes on every child in the Not Investigated
cases, conducted investigations and removed children from unsafe homes. We also
made comprehensive reform recommendations, which were presented to the
Governor’s Child Safety Working Group, on which I also served. The Working
Group wrote the landmark legislation completely reforming Arizona’s child safety
system. Thanks to Governor Brewer’s leadership and determination, we are almost
there.
Laurie Roberts of The
Arizona Republic sums up what is at stake in the Special Session. Please read
her column, here: http://www.azcentral.com/story/laurie-roberts/2014/05/25/legislature-convenes-to-protect-children/9511235/
Like Laurie, I remember and
grieve the death of each of these children. It is my prayer and determination
that, going forward, Arizona gets it right when it comes to protecting our
children.
