An Act To Establish Ongoing Monitoring of Maine's Child Protective Services
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 1834
Committee: Health and Human Services
Sponsors: DIAMOND, MILLETT, BALDACCI, BENNETT, CURRY, LIBBY, TIMBERLAKE, McDONALD
Amends: 3 MRSA §994

Legislative Document
No. 1834
S.P. 651
In Senate, December 22, 2021
An Act To Establish Ongoing Monitoring of Maine's Child 
Protective Services
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
203.
Received by the Secretary of the Senate on December 20, 2021.  Referred to the Committee 
on Health and Human Services pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator DIAMOND of Cumberland.
Cosponsored by Representative MILLETT of Waterford and
Senators: BALDACCI of Penobscot, BENNETT of Oxford, CURRY of Waldo, LIBBY of 
Androscoggin, TIMBERLAKE of Androscoggin, Representative: McDONALD of Stonington.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  3 MRSA §994, sub-§11, as amended by PL 2005, c. 104, §2, is further 
amended to read:
11.  Information available to committee.  To receive certain information.  
Information that is made available to the committee is governed by chapter 21, which 
governs legislative investigating committees, and by Title 1, chapter 13, which governs 
public records and proceedings; and
Sec. 2.  3 MRSA §994, sub-§12, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 104, §3, is amended to 
read:
12.  Immediate review system.  To establish a system to provide immediate review of 
a program or function of a state agency or other entity in the event that there is a suspicion 
of a major mismanagement of public funds or functions.  If the director determines to 
proceed under the immediate review system and the committee approves proceeding under 
that system, qualified auditors and investigators may be retained by the director for that 
purpose.  The director shall coordinate efforts with the Attorney General, State Auditor, 
State Controller and others considered appropriate by the director.; and
Sec. 3.  3 MRSA §994, sub-§13 is enacted to read:
13.  Safety of children in state care.  To create a system designed to monitor, on an 
ongoing basis, the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child and Family 
Services regarding the effectiveness of the office in protecting the safety of children in state 
care. The committee may create a working group that has the purposes of monitoring the 
policies and practices used by the office to maintain the safety of children in state care, 
reporting to the committee on a quarterly basis and providing an annual report to the 
committee and the Legislature.
SUMMARY
This bill requires the Government Oversight Committee to create a system designed to 
monitor, on an ongoing basis, the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of 
Child and Family Services regarding the effectiveness of the office in protecting the safety 
of children in state care. The committee may create a working group that has the purposes 
of monitoring the policies and practices used by the office to maintain the safety of children 
in state care, reporting to the committee on a quarterly basis and providing an annual report 
to the committee and the Legislature.