Agency commissioners rarely get applause when they ask the Legislature for an additional $263 million — but that’s what happened on Thursday when John Specia testified to the Senate Finance Committee on the need to redesign aspects of the Department of Family and Protective Services.

“What I’m asking for in my exceptional items is not fluff, it’s what I believe we need to do the job,” said Specia, a senior district judge who was appointed executive commissioner of DFPS in November. He asked for additional funding to handle caseload growth in foster care and child protective services, address ...

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