Republicans press for child-welfare bills and fault DCYF oversight as session cutoff nears

Republican lawmakers used a media availability Friday to press for votes on child-welfare legislation and to criticize the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) for what they described as recurring failures.

"Clearly, DCYF has significant issues," Rep. Peter Abarno said when asked why several child-welfare bills had not received hearings. Abarno and other Republicans said bills offered by both parties, including one styled in the availability as an 'Alicia Rawls' measure meant to address the definition of imminent harm, were blocked from committee or denied votes by House Democrats.

Speakers relayed local cases to underline urgency. One Republican said she had a case in Kennewick where a child died after ingesting fentanyl, describing the incident to illustrate what she called gaps in oversight and response.

Sen. John Braun called attention to a bill cited in the availability as '50 71' that would add fentanyl to the state's child endangerment statute and said it had passed one chamber with bipartisan support and been sent to the House. "It could come for a hearing in the next week and a half and move forward," Braun said, linking that measure to the child-safety concerns raised by reporters and lawmakers.

Republicans said they tried process motions to bring the bills to the floor and that Democrats used committee and procedural arguments to keep them from advancing. No formal floor action on those child-welfare bills occurred during the media availability; speakers framed their remarks as calls for hearings and votes.

Next steps: Republican leaders said they will continue to press for hearings and votes on child-welfare measures during cutoff and watch for the House to act on the fentanyl endangerment proposal.