State legislative leaders have approved legislation creating a special commission to propose reforms of Maine’s child protective system.
State Senator Bill Diamond, a Democrat from Windham, sponsored the measure.
“The idea is to spend time just on that issue, because no other committee can do the entire issue by themselves,” he says.
Diamond says the Commission will have the power to subpoena witnesses and documents, and to submit legislation to fix problems, which include child protective services, law enforcement and schools.
“That is just one segment, that underscores my point,” he says. “That’s just one part of the problem, that’s the family services out of DHHS. There is a whole set of problems elsewhere.”
An earlier version of this post stated that a committee would be formed. Legislatures approved the creation of a commission. We regret the error.
Updated 6:45 p.m.
