Senate Passes Child Safety Reforms Following DCS Investigation, Strengthening Protections for Arizona's Most Vulnerable Children
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, February 17, 2026
PHOENIX, ARIZONA— Senate Republicans are taking action today to strengthen protections for vulnerable children, passing bipartisan legislation aimed at addressing serious failures identified within Arizona's child safety system during a legislative investigation into the Department of Child Safety (DCS).
The reforms, led by Senate Health & Human Services Committee Chair Carine Werner, follow a Senate review launched after several high-profile child deaths shocked communities across Arizona and raised concerns about how warning signs were handled within the state's child welfare system. The bills passed today are a direct response to problems uncovered during that investigation and focus on improving accountability, communication, and early intervention when children may be in danger.
"When families or neighbors raise concerns about a child, those warnings need to add up to action," said Senator Werner. "These reforms help ensure repeated reports aren't treated in isolation and that investigators and courts have the information they need to step in before a situation turns tragic."
SB 1172 improves operations at Arizona's centralized DCS intake hotline, where reports of suspected abuse or neglect first enter the system. The legislation requires cases involving repeated reports about the same caregiver to be escalated to more experienced investigators when four or more reports are received within a 12-month period. It also requires hotline reports involving children already under court supervision in dependency cases to be shared with the presiding judge, ensuring courts have a complete understanding of potential ongoing risks. These changes are intended to prevent patterns of repeated warnings from being treated as isolated incidents and to help agencies recognize escalating danger earlier.
SB 1175 strengthens investigative accountability by requiring DCS caseworkers to photograph a child during each in-person interaction connected to an abuse or neglect investigation and maintain those images in the child's case file. Caseworkers must review the photographs when developing safety plans to identify any visible decline in the child's condition over time. This creates a clearer record of a child's well-being and helps ensure important warning signs are not overlooked between visits.
During the Senate's investigation, testimony and case reviews highlighted concerns that repeated hotline calls were sometimes handled separately rather than evaluated as part of a larger pattern, and that inconsistent documentation made it more difficult to track changes in a child's safety or health. The legislation directly addresses those gaps by strengthening communication, improving investigative standards, and providing clearer evidence for caseworkers and courts responsible for protecting children.
"These are practical reforms focused on prevention," said Senator Werner. "The goal is simple: recognize danger sooner, share information more effectively, and give child safety professionals better tools to intervene before tragedy occurs."
The legislation now advances to the House for consideration.
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For more information, contact:
Kim Quintero
Director of Communications | Arizona State Senate Republican Caucus