January 26-30
This week, policy committees were busy hearing and advancing bills ahead of the February 4 policy cutoff—the deadline for bills to be voted out of policy committees in the chamber where they were introduced.
Several bills addressing critical incidents in child welfare were heard in the House Early Learning and Human Services Committee on Tuesday, January 27, and in the Senate Human Services Committee on Wednesday, January 28:
- HB 2660 / SB 6308 authorizes courts to order certain conditions to maintain safety when a child under the age of five remains in the home following a shelter care hearing.
- SB 6319 allows child welfare cases to remain open longer when they involve a child under age four and the presence of high-potency synthetic opioids.
- SB 5979 requires the Department of Children, Youth, and Families to develop policies, practice guidelines, and training for the filing of dependency petitions and use of in-home dependencies.
- HB 2511 defines the term “imminent physical harm” which is the legal standard used to determine if a child should be removed or kept out of their home due to abuse or neglect.
The bills are all focused on addressing the recent rise in critical incidents—defined as maltreatment-related child fatalities or near-fatalities involving children who have been in the child welfare system within the past 12 months.
According to data from DCYF, there were a total of 57 critical incidents in 2025 compared to 49 in 2024. About half of the incidents were opioid related, with children between the ages of 0-3 most likely to experience a critical incident.
All bills listed above are scheduled to be voted out of committee next week, except for HB 2511.
As the Legislature considers which policy approaches to advance, it is important to remember that policy alone is not sufficient. The success of any approach depends on access to services—including, but not limited to, substance use treatment, in-home supports, and culturally relevant services provided by trusted community-based organizations. These types of intervention lead to better outcomes for children and families.
Weekly bill tracker
The weekly P4C bill tracker highlights bills related to our priorities, particularly in child welfare. Please note that the inclusion of bills in the tracker does not reflect P4C’s position for or against the bill.
Other ways to stay informed
- TVW offers live and archived coverage of legislative committees and other events.
- The legislative website provides comprehensive information on bills, committee schedules, and contact information for legislators.