GOP leaders say child endangerment, juvenile rehab and tort reform stalled as session ends

Republican lawmakers told reporters that several policy priorities they consider urgentincluding child endangerment reporting, juvenile rehabilitation reforms, and tort-reform changesdid not advance before cutoff and that they will press the governor to help in the session's final days.

Senator Braun said an endangerment bill that had bipartisan support in the Senate was "killed once again by Representative Goodman in the House," and that other related bills were similarly blocked. He described recent child fatalities and near-death incidents as a crisis and said the majority had refused to enact meaningful measures to address them.

Braun also criticized the lack of meaningful juvenile-rehabilitation reform and cited ongoing problems at the Green Hill facility, saying the department has not been given tools to keep populations at safe levels or pursue rehabilitation objectives.

On tort reform, Braun acknowledged he favored reform but said a bill that passed the Senate with an amendment requiring oversight hearings still failed to advance in the House. He described the amendmentoffered by Senator Gildanas adding meaningful oversight when high claims occur.

April Connors and others reiterated concern about child-safety legislation; Connors referenced a Senate bill by Senator Torres that was killed in committee and described frustration at not advancing reporting for near-death child incidents. She and other Republican leaders said they would raise these issues with the governor and offer assistance if the governor seeks to revive them.

What happens next: Republicans said they would press the governor in a planned meeting and would assist if the administration wants to try reviving targeted bills in the final days; no formal revival motions or votes were announced at the availability.