AUGUSTA (NEWS CENTER Maine) - Governor LePage is drafting legislation for major changes in Maine's child welfare system.
The proposal was first announced Tuesday as DHHS Commissioner Ricker Hamilton testified in front of Maine's Government Oversight Committee regarding investigations into his department after the deaths of two Maine girls.
The governor hasn't drafted the bill yet, but his office confirms it's in the works. According to the DHHS Commissioner, this proposal will address major issues in Child Protective Services.
"You know how passionate the governor is," Commissioner Hamilton told lawmakers. "He's totally invested in this."
Commissioner Ricker Hamilton says the governor's bill will:
- Increase the number of child protective caseworkers.
- Increase the salaries and training of current CPS caseworkers, who make anywhere from $36,000 to $49,000 currently.
- Increase the punishments for a failure to report suspected abuse and neglect by mandatory reporters.
- Allot funding for a brand new, state-of-the-art computer system at CPS.
The announcement of the bill at a Government Oversight Committee meeting had some lawmakers skeptical. Representative Jennifer DeChant (D) called it a "nebulous, stellar bill" with what appeared to be a sarcastic tone. She said she was optimistic about what would come of the bill.
Governor LePage's press secretary told NEWS CENTER Maine that LePage plans to wait until the current legislative special session is complete before proposing this massive bill. He wants the child protective bill to be the sole focus of a special session in the coming months.