Arizona state senator launches task force to strengthen child safety laws
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — An Arizona state lawmaker said Wednesday that she is creating a new task force aimed at strengthening the child abuse reporting laws in the state.
On Wednesday, Sen. Carine Werner, a Republican from Scottsdale, announced that the task force will consist of child welfare experts, law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and lawmakers to review Arizona’s current laws.
Specifically, the task force is to reportedly look at reporting laws and how steps were taken before the death of 10-year-old Rebekah Baptiste, as well as those in other recent child deaths.
Sen. Werner said this latest step is in line with the previously announced plans for a legislative oversight committee to examine the Arizona Department of Child Safety, which is scheduled for Sept. 3.
“This is a first step in making our state’s child safety system effective with protecting vulnerable kids from harm. Our task force will work urgently to ensure Arizona’s laws and protocols are followed to protect children first, not bureaucracy,” the GOP senator said in a prepared statement this week.
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According to a news release from the Arizona Senate Republican Caucus, the task force will begin work immediately and is expected to make recommendations on reforms starting in the 2026 legislative session.
“Rebekah’s death is the most painful reminder that when red flags are raised, they must never be ignored,” said Sen. Werner. “If the laws and protocols are written to prevent authorities from acting when children are in clear danger, then those laws and protocols must change,” said Sen. Werner.
In recent weeks, there’s been a lot of finger-pointing between agencies, and the lawmaker said there is a laundry list of flaws in the system, including communication failures.
“There’s currently not a sharing of information between the tribes, CPS and DCS, which is one of the goals we hope to attain,” Sen. Werner explained during an Aug. 12 interview with Arizona’s Family.
A bill passed last year aimed to tighten up child protection policies and require DCS to submit reports. Robinson says that’s not happening.
“When I ask them [foster staff], ‘Are you required to for a law that passed last year to submit a quarterly drug test?’ They say no, it might be a new vendor contract. They haven’t been asked by the department [DCS] to submit it, so what good is it adding more laws if we are not willing to have the oversight?” Robinson said.