An Act establishing the Massachusetts foster care review office
This bill creates a new independent state agency called the Foster Care Review Office to oversee the Massachusetts foster care system. The office would conduct administrative reviews of every child in foster care placement at least every six months to evaluate their progress toward permanent family arrangements. Trained volunteer citizen reviewers would join staff to examine individual cases and provide recommendations, while the office would also generate regular public reports on the system's performance. This new entity would operate separately from the Department of Children and Families to ensure greater transparency and accountability in how foster care cases are managed.
Bill status
passed
3 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2023
Committee Review
Feb 2023
Senate Passage
Mar 2024
Governor
Introduced Feb 16, 2023
Last action Jul 17, 2024
Floor votes
How they voted
This bill passed the Senate. No roll call record of that vote is available.
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
6
Key actions
2
Committee
1
Mar 28, 2024
Upper · Passed
Senate concurred
upper
Feb 16, 2023
Upper · Passed
Senate concurred
upper
Feb 16, 2023
Committee
Referred to the committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities
lower
1 primary · 10 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Tricia Farley-Bouvier
DDemocratic
Co
Carmine Gentile
DDemocratic
Co
David DeCoste
RRepublican
Co
Jenny Armini
DDemocratic
Co
Jim Hawkins
DDemocratic
Co
Mary Keefe
DDemocratic
Co
Pat Duffy
DDemocratic
Co
Sam Montaño
DDemocratic
Co
Sean Garballey
DDemocratic
Co
Tram Nguyen
DDemocratic
Co
Vanna Howard
DDemocratic
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