Oregon committee weighs HB 4059 changes to DHS investigations amid split testimony

The Oregon House Committee on Early Childhood and Human Services on Feb. 5 opened a multi‑part public hearing on House Bill 4059, a proposal that would narrow when the Department of Human Services (ODHS) and the Office of Training Investigations and Safety (OTIS) must investigate allegations of child abuse by third parties and minors and raise the standard to substantiate a founded finding to a preponderance of the evidence.

Taylor, the committee staffer who summarized the measure, said the bill “modifies the definition of child abuse and threatened harm, requires ODHS to investigate a report of child abuse only when the alleged perpetrator is a specified individual, and raises the standard to substantiate a finding of child abuse from a reasonable cause to believe to a preponderance of the evidence.” She also noted a dash‑2 amendment posted to OLIS and that portions of the measure will be considered over two meetings.

Several presenters gave data and operational context. Molly Miller, ODHS deputy director for child welfare, said the state recorded 179,862 alleged perpetrators assigned between Jan. 1, 2023, and Dec. 31, 2025, of which 2,549 were age 18 (excluding roughly 300 children who are parents); of that subgroup, 18.6% were founded and 50% unfounded. Miller described the hotline screening…