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Split committee advances caseload-cap bill after DCS warns of costs and limits
Summary
Representative Johnson’s bill to cap DCS caseloads at 12 cases (20 children) and require case closure within 12 months drew strong testimony from DCS about fiscal, operational and judicial constraints; the subcommittee advanced the bill to the judiciary pool on a 3–2 vote.
Representative Johnson opened discussion of House Bill 1939 by describing widespread strain in the Department of Children's Services: "People had up to 90 per caseload and we were seeing kids put in transitional housing in an office," she said, adding that some children had been sleeping in offices again this year. The bill would establish a maximum caseload of 12 cases (capped at 20 children total) and require cases be closed within one year or be brought before a judge to explain the delay.
Department officials testified that the bill creates both fiscal and practical problems. Jim Lehman, legislative director for DCS, said the fiscal note was roughly $16,000,000 and argued that a statutory cap alone will not reduce caseloads without additional staff or reduced inflows: "Putting a hard cap number in the law isn't what is gonna lower case loads... What will lower case loads is additional staff," Lehman said. Hayes O'Donnell, assistant director of legislation, described internal steps (capping new case managers' caseloads in year one) but confirmed the department lacks capacity to meet a legislative cap immediately. After questions and discussion, the committee advanced the bill to the judiciary pool by a 3–2 vote (reported as 3 ayes, 2 noes).
