House, Senate GOP leadership indicating no 2018 legislative review of beleaguered agency
INDIANAPOLIS – Republican Statehouse leadership reeled off alarming statistics painting a dire picture of Indiana’s child welfare situation compared to neighboring states on Wednesday, the first day of the 2018 legislative session. But leaders in both chambers appear to be suggesting the legislature will not launch a parallel legislative review of concerns raised by former Department of Child Services Director Mary Beth Bonaventura during the 10-week session.
Indiana Democratic Party Chairman John Zody was surprised Statehouse Republicans appeared so willing to shirk their responsibility to the most vulnerable.
“The buck stops with the legislature, unless it means crossing Governor Eric Holcomb, apparently,” said Zody. “The Department of Child Services is in crisis but Statehouse Republicans appear ready to hold off legislative reform for 365 days because it doesn’t fit their schedule? It’s Statehouse GOP’s job to protect abused and neglected children, but they appear ready to push that responsibility off for more than a year. Vulnerable children can’t wait.”
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