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Caucus questions kinship placement bill that would require DCS to prioritize relatives
Summary
A bill that would redefine the 'best interest' standard to prefer kinship placements and require Department of Child Safety reporting drew concern from members who said DCS already seeks relatives and that funding cuts could limit implementation.
House Bill 27‑2,671, presented to caucus by Representative Magali, would change the definition of a child's "best interest" to prioritize placement with adult relatives or persons with a significant relationship to the child, unless the relative has been charged with or convicted of a dangerous crime against a child. The bill would require the Department of Child Safety (DCS) to search for extended family members when a child is taken into temporary custody and to file status reports with the court every 30 days for six months when kinship placement efforts are underway.
Why it matters: the bill changes statutory placement priorities and would require increased reporting by DCS and the courts. Caucus members raised operational questions about how the proposal would interact with current DCS practice and whether the state can fulfill increased duties after recent budget reductions.
Members noted that the bill references a statutory definition of "dangerous crime against a child" located at statute 13‑705 and observed that the statutory list applies only to crimes committed against children under 15. Representative Pete Contreras asked whether the bill would require sending a child out of state if the only available kin are outside Arizona; Representative Magali answered that, as written, it would allow out‑of‑state placement.
Several lawmakers said DCS already makes efforts to locate kin and questioned whether the bill would create unintended results, such as requiring placement with relatives where it is not in the child’s best interest. One member noted cuts to kinship‑care funding in the last budget — cited in caucus as $8.6 million one‑time and $4.2 million ongoing — and asked whether the agency could implement expanded duties while operating with fewer resources.
Ending: Members requested additional analysis on interactions with current DCS practice, the statutory definition of dangerous crimes, and budget implications before the bill proceeds.
