INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Some Democratic legislators are pushing for greater action over the Indiana Department of Child Services' failure to meet state-mandated workload standards for case managers.

Leaders of the agency told the State Budget Committee last week that only one of its 19 regions is meeting the caseload standards. State law requires DCS family case managers to average no more than 12 initial assessments or 17 ongoing cases per worker.

Senate Minority Leader Tim Lanane of Anderson has written to Republican Gov. Mike Pence that he's troubled the agency isn't seeking money to hire more case workers while it plans a new workload study.

State Rep. David Niezgodski of South Bend also wrote Pence, saying he's worried the governor is putting the financial bottom line ahead of protecting children.