HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4329        FILED ON: 1/28/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

None

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act to reform and bring transparency in Children Protective Services Agencies (DCF) and bring equal protection for children in the foster care system.

_______________

PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4329        FILED ON: 1/28/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

_______________

An Act to reform and bring transparency in Children Protective Services Agencies (DCF) and bring equal protection for children in the foster care system.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Ensuring transparency in the overall management of Children Protective Services Agencies (DCF) and to create a Public Independent Investigative Commission to frequently/periodically investigate of complaints from the public on DCF alleged excessive abuse of power, abuse of children in DCF system, racial disparities, discrimination, wrongful targeting, profiling, improper take away of minority children’s especially African American and Hispanic children and parent’s rights by DCF, wrongful displacement of children from their parents especially in the minorities communities, middle class and lower parents, single parent and LGBTQ communities by DCF.The requirement for the new formation of the Public Independent Investigative Commission for DCF must include different diversities, minorities, non-economic and disadvantaged communities. The members will be selected only from public population and appointed by residents of Massachusetts to serve maximum of one year term only. There will be no inclusion of members of the Judicial (lawyers, Judges or Governor Chosen as the commission’s members) in the reformed DCF agency due to conflict of interest. There will be no reappointment of the same members after the one term ends. Be it enacted by the People and by their authority: The reform must include the public discloser of member’s general information since they are serving the public, we all have the right to know who they are.