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Dispatches from public radio's correspondent at the Oregon Legislature. This is a venue for political and policy coverage of the state government in Salem and its impact on the people of Oregon.

Oregon Lawmakers To Get An Update On State Foster Care Oversight

Chris Phan
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Flickr - tinyurl.com/juowxrh

Oregon lawmakers return to Salem Monday for a three-day series of meetings.

One of the first items on the agenda is an update on the state's oversight of the foster care system. This after Oregon Governor Kate Brown removed the head of the state agency in charge of child welfare programs. That was less than two weeks ago.

This transition in leadership comes after an investigation by Portland's Willamette Week newspaper that showed that top officials at Oregon's Department of Human Services turned a blind eye to financial problems and other neglect issues at a prominent foster care provider in Portland.

Lawmakers will also take a first look at possible bills for the 2016 legislative session. Those include a possible hike in the legal age to buy tobacco products, and a possible increase in the state's minimum wage.