DCS; investigations; interviews; recording
This bill requires Arizona's Department of Child Safety (DCS) to record all interviews with children during abuse or neglect investigations via audio or video, unless equipment fails or unforeseen circumstances prevent it. It mandates specific investigator training on child safety assessments, legal rights, and evidence-informed protocols, while banning covert voice stress analysis and limiting overt use to cases with informed consent. DCS must submit written investigation reports to case management systems within 45 days and to courts 48 hours before dependency hearings. These changes directly affect DCS investigators, children in abuse/neglect cases, and families involved in child welfare proceedings.
Bill status
vetoed
4 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Mar 2026
House Passage
Feb 2026
Senate Passage
Jun 2026
Vetoed
Jun 2026
Introduced Jan 20, 2026
Vetoed Jun 19, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison
What changed between versions
Introduced Version
→
House Engrossed Version (02/19/2026)
·
4 edits
·
Feb 19, 2026
MODERATE
This bill amends child safety investigation procedures by mandating audio or video recording of interviews with children, unless specific equipment failures occur. It also restricts parents from being legally barred from recording their own conversations with investigators and clarifies that a parent cannot use the lack of recording as a defense in court. Additionally, the bill adds a requirement for the department to present new safety assessment models to legislative oversight committees before implementation.
Scope change
The scope of mandatory recording was expanded to include all child interviews, with specific exceptions for equipment malfunctions or unforeseen circumstances. The bill also introduces new procedural requirements for the department regarding safety assessment models.
REQUIREMENT
Mandates that the Department of Child Safety record all interviews with children via audio or video, except when equipment fails due to maintenance issues or unforeseen circumstances.
Requires the department to present any proposed new safety assessment models to the joint legislative oversight committee before implementation.
ENFORCEMENT
Clarifies that a parent charged with abuse cannot object to the lack of recording, and the failure to record does not make a child's statements inadmissible in court.
TIMELINE
Includes conditional enactment clauses stating the bill only becomes effective if federal grant legislation for recording interviews is passed by December 31, 2036.
Floor votes · House Feb 19, 2026
How they voted
This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
14
Key actions
5
Committee
2
Amendments
1
Jun 19, 2026
Vetoed
Vetoed by Governor
executive
Jun 12, 2026
Upper · Passed
PASSED
upper
Mar 4, 2026
Upper · Passed
DP
upper
Feb 19, 2026
Lower · Passed
PASSED
lower
Feb 18, 2026
Lower · Passed
DPA
lower
Feb 2, 2026
Lower · Passed
DP
lower
1 primary · 4 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Matt Gress
RRepublican
Co
David Livingston
RRepublican
Co
Hildy Angius
RRepublican
Co
Lupe Diaz
RRepublican
Co
Teresa Martinez
RRepublican
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