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To start, I want to thank Governor Brewer.

Once
again, the Governor has demonstrated courageous,
decisive and strong leadership. Where others have
talked about issues, this Governor acts and get
results. This critically important issue is no
exception.

I also want to thank Director Flanagan for his
willingness to step up and serve in what may be the
toughest job in state government. Director Flanagan
did not ask for this job but he has tirelessly,
selflessly and relentlessly pursued reforms,
championed transparency and demanded
accountability. He deserves the praise of a grateful
state.

I also want to thank the bi-partisan working group
members and stakeholders for their good faith
efforts in crafting this important piece of legislation,
especially my colleagues Reps. Eddie Farnsworth,
Kate Brophy McGee, and Debbie McCune Davis.

This truly is a transformational piece of legislation
and a historic moment for Arizona.

Some ask how this reform is different from all of the
prior efforts and why this bill will make a difference
the answers to those questions are the very essence
of what makes this effort historic and
transformational.

This legislation is bold because it FINALLY
unearths and removes this critically important
government function from the hidden halls of a
massive bureaucracy and establishes it as a stand-
alone cabinet agency with a direct report to the
Governor. No longer can management hide or point
fingers and no longer can budgets be conflated.

Next, this legislation clearly establishes child safety
as the agencys priority.

The bill mandates transparency and accountability
for this new agency and provides for in-house
counsel which will protect and support these
legislative mandatesandallow the agency to
push back against the advice that was often policy
oriented instead of legal and has routinely impeded
openness.

This bill has other built in checks and balances
including an Inspector Generals Office to safeguard
compliance with federal and state law, and
department policy.

This Inspector Generals Office also is charged with
continuous process improvement.

The bill has other landmark reforms in terms of
operations such as empowering this new agency to
investigate allegations of child abuse and neglect
committed by the proverbial bad boyfriend.

Or, enabling the department to remain engaged with
families where we know there are high risks present
and the likelihood for it to devolve into criminal
conductbut in a balanced manner to ensure we are
not creating a nanny or police state for Arizona
families.

It also requires the new agency to develop -- for the
first time -- a risk assessment tool to guide objective
decision making.


All of these elements -- many long overdue --
assembled together in one piece of legislation is
transformational reform and what makes this effort
different from prior ones.

We must remember though, we are reforming an
operation that has been dysfunctional for decades
and change will not occur overnightwe still have a
long road ahead of us but we have carefully crafted a
solid foundation with strong cornerstones.

We all sought these elected offices to make Arizona
a better placeand that is exactly what we are doing
right here, right now, and with that, I proudly vote
aye.




Representative Bob Robson
Explanation of vote on Child Safety legislation
in Second Special Session, 51
st
Legislature
May 29, 2014.

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