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Senate hearing on SB 265 spotlights child-safety failures and pledges further work instead of an immediate vote
Summary
Lawmakers and the DCFS secretary traded urgency and skepticism March 17 as the Senate Health and Welfare Committee considered Sen. Barrow’s bill to reorganize the Department of Children and Family Services. No vote was taken; members asked Harris to deliver concrete reforms before the March 30 filing deadline.
The Senate Committee on Health and Welfare met March 17 to consider Senate Bill 265, sponsored by Sen. Barrow, a sweeping measure that would restructure the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). Lawmakers described a pattern of child-safety failures, called for immediate fixes and agreed to work with the administration rather than take a committee vote at this session.
"We cannot afford to wait," Sen. Barrow told the committee, opening the hearing with personal case examples and a litany of concerns about DCFS operations. She cited an East Baton Rouge call log she said contains 818 entries last year and said only 74 had file numbers reflecting follow-through. "We keep putting more money in there and we are still getting the same results," she said.
Why it matters: Members framed the issue as a bipartisan moral imperative. Multiple senators urged the department and legislature to convert oversight into enforceable changes to stop ongoing child deaths. The bill’s sponsor offered structural options — including shifting units into other state agencies — but agreed to sit down with DCFS leadership and stakeholders to craft substitute language.
Secretary Rebecca Harris told the committee DCFS has launched operational changes she said will improve outcomes: statewide, standing multi‑stakeholder meetings, new dashboards to track fatalities and investigations, and new training. "We have to spend more time focusing on prevention," Harris said, outlining a prevention‑preservation‑protection‑permanency approach.
What members pressed for: Senators repeatedly asked for a short, prioritized list of statutory changes DCFS wants so lawmakers can file bills before the March 30 filing deadline. Several members said they would support a department‑led substitute if it meaningfully addresses the committee’s concerns. Sen. Andrews said, "If you do that in good faith, you can reassure your staff that we’re not trying to reduce staff; we’re trying to protect children."
No formal action: The committee did not vote on SB 265. Sen. Barrow asked colleagues to delay action while she and Secretary Harris attempt to produce concrete, implementable language; she said she would proceed with the bill if sufficient progress is not made before pre‑file deadlines. The committee scheduled further coordination and anticipated reconvening to consider a substitute or related proposals.
Next steps: Members asked DCFS to provide a prioritized list of statutory and operational changes, additional budget detail that would support staff increases and clarified timelines for training and dashboard rollouts. The committee meets again in coming weeks and the legislative filing deadline is March 30.
