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Republican lawmakers push changes to 'Keeping Families Together' law, fault DCYF after recent child fatalities
Summary
Republican representatives and senators at a press event urged fixes to the Keeping Families Together Act, called for changes to the law's 'imminent harm' language, criticized staffing and practices at the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), and noted a Senate bill to add fentanyl to the child endangerment statute.
OLYMPIA — Republican legislators at a caucus press event said emotional testimony from Rep. Travis Couture highlighted what they described as failures in the Keeping Families Together Act and in the Department of Children, Youth, and Families’ handling of high-risk cases.
"What Travis said yesterday was absolutely correct," Representative Chris Corey said in response to a reporter asking about Couture’s testimony and efforts to remove or change imminent-harm language that family-safety advocates and some legislators say has limited the state's ability to protect children.
Lawmakers argued the current statute and…
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