Governor Hassan's Statement on Senate Vote to Pass DCYF Bills

Statement

Governor Maggie Hassan issued the following statement after a bipartisan majority of the New Hampshire State Senate voted to pass three bills regarding the Division of Children Youth and Families (DCYF) and protections for children:

"Our society rests on the fundamental principle that all children must be able to grow up in a safe environment, and we must always be working to ensure that we are providing the best protections for our children. Yesterday, the Executive Council unanimously approved an independent review of child protective services of the Division of Children Youth and Families to help ensure that New Hampshire is using best practices, and these bipartisan bills are a proactive step to complement that effort.

"By strengthening the Child Protection Act, improving record retention and the hearing process in cases of abuse or neglect, and allowing the Legislative Commission to Review Child Abuse Fatalities to continue its important work, these bills are an important step to help ensure the safety and well-being of our children. I thank the Senate for its bipartisan approval of this legislation, and I encourage the House to follow suit in support of these child protection measures."

Today, the Senate passed Senate Bill 515, relative to child neglect and other changes to the child protection act; Senate Bill 537, relative to record management of abuse and neglect reports; and Senate Bill 538, relative to children taken into custody under the child protection act and relative to the commission to review child abuse fatalities.

Yesterday, the Executive Council approved the contract for an independent review of the child protective services at DCYF that Governor Hassan directed last year.

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