Survivors urge required recordings and other accountability in child-welfare cases under proposed "Leslie Law"

Survivors of alleged child-welfare failures, advocates and family-rights organizations testified in favor of H.294, sometimes called the "Leslie Law," which supporters said would increase transparency and accountability in child-protection proceedings and placements.

Leslie Mercado described a childhood in the system that included multiple placements, alleged abuse, and long separations from her children; she told the committee that cameras and recordings can capture critical moments and reduce secrecy in the juvenile system. "If cameras can protect criminals in prison, they could protect children too," she said.

Other witnesses recounted specific cases they said involved coaching, inaccurate reports, or investigative failures and urged statutory changes to require recordings or other forms of documentation in key interactions. Darlene Urvieto recounted an extended familial separation and said records and recordings would have clarified what happened in interviews and investigations.

Proponents framed the proposal as a child-protective tool that can both train staff and provide evidentiary clarity in contested cases; they asked the committee to consider statutory language that would permit recordings while protecting privacy for children and families.

No specific statutory text or cost estimate was presented in oral testimony; several speakers asked the committee to hold hearings and solicit written materials to design workable safeguards and preserve confidentiality where appropriate.